Iowa School District Seeks Tougher Penalties to Prevent Student Fighting
IOWA CITY, Iowa – School officials made their case for stiffer penalties against students involved in physical altercations on campus.
At an Iowa City School Board work session April 24, City High Principal Mark Hanson and West High Principal Jerry Arganbright expressed their desire for expanded penalties for fighting, in addition to unarmed uniformed officers throughout the day and evening, and better exterior lighting.
Their schools currently impose five-day suspensions to students caught fighting. The principals contend that a stricter penalty is needed to really deter students from physically engaging each other. Hanson and Arganbright would like to see offending students given five-week placement in an out-of-school program and a zero tolerance policy for fighting, in addition to the five-day suspension.
The principals’ recommendations come on the heels of two parents complaining their students were unfairly punished for being bullied into fighting. In addition to the five-day suspension, Irene McKinney’s daughter, a senior at West High, received two years of probation on an assault charge trying to break up a fight.
District officials will continue gathering information on how to improve safety.
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