Activists Say Discipline Reform Doesn't Go Far Enough
School officials should have to contact parents before questioning students.
School officials should have to contact parents before questioning students.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 |  |
Fairfax County Public Schools forced Nick Stuban to transfer from Woodson High School to Fairfax High School after the 15 year-old sophomore admitted to buying synthetic marijuana from a drug dealer at school.
The teenager had only been attending Fairfax High for a few days when he decided to take his own life last January.
According to his parents, the realization that he would permanently separated from his close friends at Woodson contributed to Nick's despair and ultimately his suicide. Their son had also spent two months banned from stepping on any Fairfax school property, which left him feeling unusually isolated, they said.
Since their son's death, the Stubans have joined the local advocacy group Fairfax Zero Tolerance Reform in calling for changes to the way the school system handles discipline matters.
The family and organization would like Fairfax schools to show more mercy and flexibility in how they treat students who are first-time offenders who make nonviolent mistakes.
On many fronts, Fairfax schools gave the Stubans and other activists what they requested on at a School Board meeting on June 9. Board members passed broad and sweeping provisions to the system's
The teenager had only been attending Fairfax High for a few days when he decided to take his own life last January.
According to his parents, the realization that he would permanently separated from his close friends at Woodson contributed to Nick's despair and ultimately his suicide. Their son had also spent two months banned from stepping on any Fairfax school property, which left him feeling unusually isolated, they said.
Since their son's death, the Stubans have joined the local advocacy group Fairfax Zero Tolerance Reform in calling for changes to the way the school system handles discipline matters.
The family and organization would like Fairfax schools to show more mercy and flexibility in how they treat students who are first-time offenders who make nonviolent mistakes.
On many fronts, Fairfax schools gave the Stubans and other activists what they requested on at a School Board meeting on June 9. Board members passed broad and sweeping provisions to the system's
