Misbehavior drops in city schools
Hartselle City Schools continued to experience misbehavior among its students in 2012-2013 even though the frequency rate is declining, according to state-mandated accountability reports that track financial stability, student achievement and school safety and discipline.
The latest report on student discipline shows that the city’s five schools combined recorded 206 incidents of student misbehavior in 2012-2013 compared to 453 in the prior school year. The difference of 247 reflects a 48 percent decline from the previous year.
Hartselle Junior High remained the school having the highest number of reportable offenses for the second year in a row with 123 incidents. Hartselle High School had the largest decline. Only 51 incidents were reported compared to 149 in the prior year, a drop of 98.
The city’s three elementary schools reported 32 incidents, an increase of 10 over the previous reporting period. Of that number, Crestline had the most at 18, three more than the prior year. F.E. Burleson reported 11, nine more than in 2011-2012. Barkley Bridge reported three, two less that the previous year.
Of the incidents reported, 46 were for disobedience, 39 for harassment, 29 for fighting, 14 for unauthorized absence, 14 for defiance, 12 for profanity/vulgarity, 10 for tobacco possession, nine for assault, seven for theft/larceny, four for disruptive behavior, three each for knife possession and threat/intimidation and one each for drug possession and drug use.
Disciplinary actions taken because of the incidents are listed as follows: 148 in-school suspensions, 70 out-of-school suspensions, four alternate school and two corporal punishments.
Under state law, yearly accountability reports are kept on file in the offices of school superintendents and are available for public viewing.