Zero-Tolerance Policy Modified

A policy that requires automatic expulsion of children in kindergarten through third grades who bring anything like a weapon to school was abandoned Tuesday as too harsh.

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District board revised its zero-tolerance weapons policy to let principals determine whether and how to punish those students. In practice, board members said, the old policy didn’t make sense.

“We have had Cub Scouts before the board who were facing expulsion for bringing their little carving knives to school,” trustee Judy Franco said.

Newport-Mesa’s board adopted its districtwide policy on weapons and drugs in the schools under pressure from parents and teachers who wanted assurance the schools were safe places for children.

But board members agreed that children in kindergarten through third grade who have faced expulsion for having things that might be considered weapons never intended to hurt anyone. Most of those cases have been dismissed, Franco said.

“It makes sense to give principals discretion because they’re the ones closest to the situation,” she said.

District officials did not know how many early elementary school children have faced expulsion. In a few instances, students were transferred to other schools because board members were unsure why they had brought a knife to school.

Newport-Mesa is not the only Orange County school district that has had similar problems enforcing its zero-tolerance policy as it applies to young students.

Two years ago, a 5-year-old was suspended for a month and transferred to another school after he found a disposable razor blade near his bus stop and took it to school. He faced expulsion under Centralia School District’s zero-tolerance rule, but board members gave him a transfer because they did not believe he intended to harm anyone.

That district, however, never altered its zero-tolerance policy.

“We feel the policy has worked because it has kept our schools safe,” Centralia spokeswoman Rosemarie Gladden said. “We didn’t feel there was any need to change it.”