Student group criticizes district's expulsion policy

■ Student Advocacy Center seeks review of Ypsilanti school district’s ‘zero tolerance' of weapons.

By SHENA ABERCROMBIE

NEWS STAFF REPORTER

YPSILANTI - As the number of weapons expulsions in Ypsilanti Public Schools continues to rise, the level of concern within the community also increases.

Members of the Student Advocacy Center are criticizing the district’s current practice of “zero tolerance” in regard to student weapons expulsions, and expulsions and suspensions as a whole.

The center, an Ann Arbor-based group, provides services for students throughout Washtenaw County.

“The students that I work with which you expelled or suspended arid refused to support are all doing well,” Ken Ludwig told school board members Tuesday. “They could be doing better if they had your support. Is it not time to accept that you have a continuing responsibility for all the children in the district?

“Now is a good time to review your approach to student discipline,” continued Ludwig. “You have changes in senior administration and a superintendent who has been actively seeking new employment. A change from the approach now used, which has brought negative publicity, Federal Civil Rights complaints, and no greater improvement than districts which are more progressive, could only help the district.”

During the 1995-96 school year, the Ypsilanti school district expelled 13 students at the elementary and middle school level, and four students at the high school level.

By early May of this school year, the district had expelled three students at the elementary and middle school level for weapons violations and three high school students.

The Center for Occupational and Personalized Education, or COPE, is one avenue for middle school and high school students who receive the permanent expulsion from Michigan state schools, without any hope of re-entry for 180 days, the equivalent of one school year. Students in grades five and under receive a lesser sentence of 90 days. But there are fewer programs for students this age.

“A group of us have been discussing this, and we are also concerned about the fact that so many kids are being expelled,” said Wanda Wysor, a community volunteer. “We also feel the kids need a program to go into if they are being expelled. We need to provide that part as soon as possible.”

But when board member Tom Reiber voiced his concern over the high number of expulsions at a May 13 board meeting, Superintendent David Zuhlke reaffirmed his zero tolerance stance.

In board comment Tuesday night, Reiber again voiced concerns and sided with student advocates.

“As a board member I firmly believe we shouldn’t tolerate any violence,” said Reiber. “(But) I believe it’s more appropriate to decide on a case-by-case basis so that a 7-year-old student not be held to the same standard as a high school student. I believe Michigan state law allows us exemptions with something not intended for use as a weapon. (And) perhaps we have been too strict in the past.”

Board member Doug Palmer said he supports the district’s current stance.

“I take a different tactic than Reiber,” said Palmer. “I’m not in the position to say it’s OK to bring dangerous weapons to our schools.”