Data on violent students lacking
Despite an apparent murder attempt by a suicidal student, Spokane school officials say they have no idea how many other potentially violent students expelled for making threats have been allowed to simply transfer to another school.
“The information is not readily available,” said Spokane Public Schools spokesman David Beil. “Of course, it’s possible to pull the information together, but we’re not willing because it takes too much time.”
But the case of Jacob D. Carr, 14, who was charged last week with attempted first-degree murder in connection with what police describe as a plot to kill a Ferris High School teacher before turning the gun on himself, is causing parents and educators across Spokane to question the school district’s attention to security. Carr was expelled from Ferris in January for threatening to set fire to a teacher and the teacher’s house, but was allowed to transfer to Shadle Park High School.
He returned to the Ferris campus March 24 with a loaded pistol and came within 6 feet of the teacher.
The Spokesman-Review asked the school district last week how many other potentially violent students in Spokane Public Schools have been allowed to transfer to new schools after being suspended or expelled, but was told repeatedly that no one knows. Beil said district staff would have to sort through the individual records of almost 30,000 students to determine the number.
School districts are required to supply disciplinary information to the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, but schools are not required to include numbers of potentially dangerous students who then transfer back into school.
The practice of allowing suspended or expelled students to enroll in different schools is known in education circles as a suspension-converted-to-a-transfer. It’s available on a case-by-case basis and is intended to help students get a fresh start and possibly excel in a different educational environment.
When a student does apply for readmission after a long-term suspension or expulsion, the process often requires a risk assessment and statements from the student and the parents as to why the student should be let back in.
In Spokane Public Schools in 2003-2004, 318 long-term suspensions were issued, along with 20 expulsions and 274 emergency expulsions. An emergency expulsion is investigated and eventually changed to a short-term suspension, a long-term suspension or an expulsion.
Every time a student receives a long-term suspension, the Student Rights and Responsibilities policy states that the superintendent, and/or his designee, will be given a written report and reason for that discipline action.
Ferris teachers have been asking district officials why they weren’t notified of Carr’s identity until the day after he brought a gun to school, said one teacher who asked not to be identified. The teacher said colleagues would like to know about students with potentially violent backgrounds so they can be on alert. One teacher suggested the district provide them a list of potentially threatening students.
“I must have walked right by that kid in the hall and not known who he was,” said the teacher. “Something needs to be done.”
During meetings with school officials March 25, and last Monday and Tuesday, teachers asked various questions about changing policies and procedures so teachers have more information about potentially dangerous students, but were reminded of laws to protect students’ privacy, the teacher said. Some teachers are starting to believe nothing will change, the teacher said.
The teacher expressed outrage at learning the district did not have readily available the number of long-term suspended students who have been transferred to other schools.
“How could you not know? They have computer records. That’s garbage,” the teacher said.