Parental notification; school board policy violations. (HB1548)

Are the opponents of this bill the same students who hide their report cards form their parents? Of course the parents should be told! Now, maybe some students will be annoyed at the reaction of their parents, but the parents have the long term interests of their children to consider. Definitely this bill should be passed!

This is a common-sense bill that needs to be passed immediately. Schools and parents need to work together for the good of our children. Parents should always be notified when a child faces the possiblity of suspension or expulsion. This is a serious issue and parents should NOT be kept in the dark!

Agree that this is a common-sense bill. I can't believe that this isn't already the common practice.

I was shocked to learn that this was not already the case. Our representatives need to ensure that parents and guardians are always notified when there is the possibility of suspension or expulsion.

I am happy to support any bill that gives protections to children who are facing a denial of educational services. Nothing is more sacred in this country than an education. Parents need to be notified by schools when their kids are facing disciplinary consequences. Children are not able to advocate for themselves in these intimidating situations. Please pass this bill.

I sit here in disgust that this is NOT already required! EVERY THING about MY child I should have the right to know! This bill should pass hands down. However, I fear many will want to block this bill and I wonder who's interest they are protecting...NOT OUR CHILDRENS!

It is because of the abuses and disregard for due process in the public schools that has made the need for such a bill to be passed in the first place. The day my son got in trouble at a FCPS high school, my husband was summoned to the school from work. He was not told what had happened until he got to the school. Prior to my husband’s arrival, school administrators had gotten a written statement of the incident from my son. I’m no lawyer, but the way it was handled was just not right. Pass this bill!

Look at the history on the bill -- there are no votes in opposition.

On Monday, I drove to Richmond to testify in front of the State Senate Subcommittee on Public Education. Del. Kory had put forth HB 1548 seeking parental notification from principals to parents when a student is disciplined for an infraction “which is likely to cause a suspension or petition to the court”.

Incredulously, the Subcommittee members would not even second Senator Howell’s motion. Parents do not have the right to know what the school system is doing to our children until after it takes place. They can question, intimidate, discipline, etc. a minor child and never have to tell the parents. Rather than seeking partnership with parents in education of our children, refusal to notify parents of a serious infraction which is “likely to lead” to suspension or referral to the court system supplants the primacy of parents.

The Virginia School Board Association and others are lobbying against parental notification and this bill. VSBA states they are "concerned this bill will enable parents to interfere with investigations of student misconduct and to challenge disciplinary decisions on the grounds that the notice required by this bill was not given early enough."

What?! Bar parents from the behavior, education, attendance, etc. issues related to their own MINOR child so school officials can “investigate” without parental “interference”? PREVENT PARENTS FROM LEARNING THAT THEIR OWN CHILDREN ARE IN TROUBLE until it is too late to act on their own child's behalf?

This bill has been resurrected and will be entertained shortly. Contact your Senator and ask for support of HB 1548.

Our children deserve the same (and arguably greater) due process protections as other citizens. Children deserve to have their parents present before they are harrassed or intimidated by school officials into signing self-incrimnatory statements without benefit of counsel from their parents. I am further outraged that school personnel at Woodson High School counseled Nick Stuban's parents NOT to have an attorney present at their son's disciplinary hearing, because "it might create a confrontational atmosphere." (Washington Post, February 20, 2011, p. A1). ACcording to published accounts reviewed bythe Post, that hearing operated as an inquisition, full of hearsay, conjecture and irrelevant musings on the part of school adminstrators - to a degree that would never have been tolerated or upheld in an ordinary court of law. Nick Stuban, who had committed a first-time, minor imitation controlled substance possession offense, committed suicide six days into his transfer to another school. I have no doubt that his parents regret their decision not bring an attorney to that hearing, and I believe that parents should be advised, without bias, of their rights to have an attorney present at such hearings, and even to have an attorney or court-appointed special advocate appointed for them if they are unable to pay for one themselves.

It is unbelievable that we now have to pass law that defines this common sense issue. Most,if not all, school children are minors and parents should absolutely be informed of any issue pertaining to a child that needs intervention by the school. Parents get calls if the knee gets scraped in the playground, or a first grader pushes another child, and the school expects the parents to assist in an acceptable solution. So why are the parents excluded when more serious issues that result in suspension/expulsion occur? Perhaps the schools only want the parents involved when it is convenient and helpful to the school. These are our children and it is imperative that we protect them, teach them, get them help if necessary. Parents should be notified that they have the right to have legal representation for their children at any and all meetings and hearings, and if this is not financially feasible for the family, that outside, non-school related representation should be available and provided to protect the rights of the children.
Frankly, the schools want parents in to help with copying and collating, stuffing folders, planning dances and graduation activities, but do not want parents in the school to ask questions, confront issues in the classrooms, change schedules, etc.....the schools can't have it both ways. Parents are parents, children are children, teachers are teachers and administrators are administrators. If the ultimate goal is to teach children, then everyone needs to be involved. Children need to learn more than their A-B-C's. Parents, teachers, AND administrators each need to teach more than the A-B-C's.....remember "it takes a village" or a whole county to assist all the children to progress into adulthood! What small steps/behaviors did the parents, teachers, and administrator MISS that would lead to a suspension/expulsion of a child? Communication and education should go hand in hand....one is not more important that the other. Communication with a minor must involve the parents at all times. PASSAGE of bill HB1548 is imperative!