Describes a successful disciplinary project that helps prevent delinquency through an organized in-school suspension and counseling program. (MD)

Five principals outline their decision-making processes, which include concerns over timing and process, teachers' well-being, deciding how to decide, student expulsion, and problem identification. (MD)

Reviews current legal interpretations regarding discipline of handicapped students. Proposes a model for fostering compliance with legal mandates when considering disciplinary procedures for such students. Principals should employ behavior management options (such as time-out techniques, use of school counseling and social workers, in-school…

Describes a Tacoma (Washington) high school's efforts to adopt a zero-tolerance policy toward fighting. An aggressive communication campaign was used to familiarize parents and students with the new policy. Numbers of violent incidents decreased during the past three years. Two parents who formally challenged the school's expulsion policy lost in…

Most courts have flexibly interpreted the constitutional requirement of procedural and substantive due process in favor of zero-tolerance expulsion decisions. While being sensitive to community intolerance for threats to school safety (student possession of guns or drugs), school leaders should modulate development and enforcement of expulsion…

Considered the role of the assistant principal as arbitrator and mediator in conditions requiring measures of discipline. (RK)

In passing the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997, Congress tackled tough issues regarding educating students with disabilities. This article addresses four changes to IDEA and their implications for secondary principals, including suspension of handicapped students without educational services, development of…

Although the United States Supreme Court has extended certain constitutional rights to students, the Court has nevertheless held that school administrators may adopt and enforce reasonable rules and regulations to ensure the maintenance of a disruptive-free learning environment. (PKP)

Reviews United States Supreme Court and Federal Appellate Court decisions on student and teacher rights, particularly due process (procedural and substantive) rights. (PKP)

A survey of exclusionary discipline practices with handicapped students revealed a national pattern of "de facto" differential treatment. In denying a school's unilateral authority to remove dangerous or disruptive students, the Supreme Court's judgment in "Honig v. Doe" (1988) took precedence over all earlier court decisions.…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requires the IEP team to identify ameliorative resources and/or disciplinary measures for disruptive students. A BIP (behavior intervention plan) provides appropriate behavioral programming and related social and psychological services. IDEA does not prohibit principals from reporting crimes to…

After summarizing the relevant federal laws regarding the educational rights of handicapped students, the author reviews recent cases regarding such students' suspension and expulsion. From court decisions, conclusions are then drawn about the legally allowable disciplining of handicapped students. (JW)

Administrators should regard each student threat as legitimate, but need flexibility in how they respond. Getting the facts and following due process are essential. School policy should require that students be referred to law-enforcement officials and specify communication, crisis-management, identification, and preventive/proactive procedures.…