Expulsions up 400%

OK. Elections are over. It's time to get down to brass tacks (maybe). Here's a subject we've been wondering about, but about which we've heard very little. Sure, expulsion hearings are "posted", but certainly not printed in the paper. You would only know about them if you watch the school board's "Upcoming School Board Meetings" page: http://www.spasd.k12.wi.us/web/glking/stories/storyReader$26
(SP-EYE question for another day: How can the public ever find out about these things if they have names like "storyReader$26" anyway? Maybe the Task Force for community engagement could answer that? Oh...wait...THAT committee is on hold for now...but you weren't told about THAT decision either).

Following an open records request for information related to expulsions over the past 2 school years (Grade level and reason for expulsion), we learned the following:

2006-07 school year
4 expulsions
- 3 for fighting/violence
- 1 for insubordination/threats

1 expulsion in each of grades 9-12

2007-08 school year
15 expulsions (1 more scheduled this week)
- 7 for drugs (possession and/or sale)
- 7 for weapons (2 knives; 5 BB guns)
- 1 for violence/threats

1 expulsion in elementary school (grade 5)
6 expulsions in middle school (1 in grade 6, 5 in grade 8)
8 expulsions in high school (2 in Gr. 9; 3 in Gr.10; 1 in Gr. 11; 2 in Gr. 12)

Why isn't the school board talking bout this?

Our board fought hard at several school board and finance committee meetings, essentially stalemating any agreement on limiting reimbursement expenses for school board members' meals while at conferences. How shameful that the board is willing to expend such time and effort defending something as ludicrous as their right to a $42 steak dinner but then avoid discussing the rise in expulsions at the board table.

This is the heart of what's wrong with the school board, the district, and to some extent, the city as a whole. It's time we stopped stuffing these things in the closet and started talking about them. It's time our school board came up with something other than Dr. FeelGood, plain vanilla agenda items.