The Lee County School System said Thursday that it has completed a review and disciplinary process for the student walkouts that occurred February 4-6 with the majority punishment given being warnings and no credit for class assignments for those who took part.
A statement released by the School District said that it does not tolerate disruptions to the educational environment. Furthermore, the district statement said that while students have First Amendment rights, the Supreme Court ruled in Tinker v. Des Moines that those rights do not protect behavior that disrupts the educational process.
The Student Code of Conduct prohibits disruptive actions such as walking out of class, leaving campus without permission, and refusing to follow staff directives.
The district said there were 2,480 students identified as participating in disruptive behaviors including:
- 2,037 skipping class or tardy to class
- 393 safety violations
- 50 insubordination/disrespect
The disruptive behaviors resulted in the following disciplinary actions which was determined by the level of the offense and a student’s behavioral history.
- 11 recommendations for reassignment to Success Academy
- 134 out-of-school suspensions
- 40 in-school suspensions
- 43 student conferences
- 7 parent meetings
- 208 other Level III interventions including but not limited to:
- Behavior contracts
- Extra-curricular suspensions
- Loss of privileges
- Restitution
- 2,037 warnings and/or zeroes on assignments
“The safety and security of our schools is our top priority,” said Superintendent Dr. Denise Carlin. “Ninety-six percent of our students adhered to the Student Code of Conduct by remaining in class and focused on their education during the protests. We are proud of the choice they made. We are also grateful to our students’ families for supporting the priorities of our school district and for reinforcing our behavioral expectations. Together, we can ensure a safe learning environment for all students.”
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