The Virginian-Pilot
©
RICHMOND
On Friday, Steve Stuban marked the one-year anniversary of his teenage son's suicide.
Three days later, Stuban spoke in support of legislation aiming to prevent additional families from suffering the same tragedy.
A handful of bills before the General Assembly would require school officials at least to notify parents before taking serious disciplinary action against a student.
Speaking during a news conference Monday, Stuban, a Fairfax a resident, said if he had received such notification, the outcome might have been different for his 15-year-old son. Nick Stuban committed suicide Jan. 20, 2011, in the wake of a school disciplinary proceeding that ended his high school football career and required him to change schools.
Administrators didn't notify Stuban his son was in trouble for purchasing a synthetic pill with marijuana-like effects on campus until after they'd questioned the teen and decided to suspend him, Stuban said. He'd never been in serious trouble before.
One bill by Republican Dels. Tim Hugo and Barbara Comstock of Fairfax would require school officials to obtain consent from a parent or guardian before questioning a juvenile student accused of a serious rule violation that could result in suspension or criminal charges. Only in extreme circumstances, such as an immediate threat to students or staff, would the proposal allow school officials to proceed without parental OK, Hugo said.
Other versions of the bill simply require school officials to notify a parent or guardian before investigating a student.
School divisions' disciplinary actions can have a lasting impact on students' social and emotional well-being, can sway their decision to stay in or drop out of school and can damage their college prospects, said Elizabeth Schultz, a Fairfax County School Board member. Before that happens, parents should be involved, she said.
Similar legislation passed the House last year but failed in the Senate under concerns it would create too much paperwork and too many demands on teachers, said Del. Kaye Kory, D-Fairfax, who has sponsored similar legislation. Her bill this year addresses some of those concerns, she said.
"These things are happening that are tragic in the lives of our students," Hugo said. "This is something that we have the duty and the obligation and the opportunity to stop right now."
Kathy Adams, 804-697-1563, kathy.adams@pilotonline.com
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School Discipline
My local school experience in the 1970s sounded like a series of bad TV movies. Schools and parents distrusted each other. Political quagmires in every aspect of public schools still help private schools thrive, as they did back then. When were parents completely subtracted from discipline issues involving their kids--especially teens? Parents get the blame anyway, so please change the laws and keep us in the loop! My experiences with lackluster curriculum and laissez-faire discipline compelled us to choose private school for our son. Teachers have kept us aware of every missed assignment, permission slip, and unwashed gym uniform. The school is our resource. Teen stress is harsher than ever, and they need their parents' help.
As a parent and a sub
As a parent and a sub teacher there are two sides to every story. Teacher and schools can and do make mistakes. Nothing wrong with involving the parent so they are apprised of the situation. In junior HS I had a girl who resented me have her boyfriend slide a joint in the locker vents. Then she tolp the principal I was dealing drug and with no questions asked my locker searched and I was suspended no questions asked. Here is the thing.. I didnt do drugs and asked for a drug test to prove my innonence. My parents believed me and threatened legal action and low and behold they put a little pressure on the girl and she buckled and said it was a setup. Sadly she didnt get suspended. Only detention. After my initial suspension I was ridiculed
Hmmmmm
Okay, what exactly are the teachers and administrators supposed to do if parents DO NOT give them permission to talk to their precious ne'er-do-wells? Send the kid on his merry way?
I am sorry that a child felt he must kill himself, but wouldn’t that same child still have been in trouble? Aren’t parents notified if their children are suspended or expelled? Are parents hoping that they can talk the school officials out of punishing their child? These same parents would want school official’s heads if the same child died from a reaction to the drugs or other unsafe behavior. It is never “little Timmy’s fault”.
Teachers and administrators have enough hoops to jump through. Having to notify parents to even question these kids is really too
Will mess things up worse
My heart goes out to the family of the young man who killed himself.
This response seems to me to be counter-productive.
I've taught in the school system here, and a great number of parents of our kids can not be reached. There are a dozen numbers in the system for them, all disconnected, wrong numbers, or ring forever unanswered.
So, you get a child who gets in trouble nearly daily, but you can't 'punish' him/her until you reach parents who can never be reached.
Chaos. Find a better way to resolve this.
Comment deleted
Comment removed for rules violation. Reason: Post continued, repeated
Politicians Reforming Education??
Politicians are a lot of what's wrong with our educational system.
The problems in education are like migraine headaches - for which politicians continually try to remedy with band-aid legislation.
Band-aids are nice and all - and using a whole bunch of them really looks like they're trying hard to provide relief - but they just don't do a thing for headaches.
Inmates running asylum
This bill gives what little authority school administrators have left over to the parents. If you think students are out of control now, just wait and see what schools will be like if this bill actually makes it through the legislative process successfully.
Another feel good proposal
Another feel good proposal that is a bunch of bunk. Contact a parent before every suspension? Crazy at best. Contact every parent following a suspension is a must. Nuff said.
Wishful thinking
When I saw “reform school” I thought we were going to make some progress (moving back to a better time can be progress).