City schools report higher number of disciplinary actions

By Staff
Clif Knight, Hartselle Enquirer
Hartselle’s five public schools combined reported a 23 percent increase in student misbehavior resulting in disciplinary action in 2006-07, according to figures published in a state-mandated accountability report that tracks school safety and discipline.
The report, which was filed with the State Board of Education in June 2007, shows Hartselle schools had 167 incidents, or 45 more that the 122 that were reported in the prior year.
Hartselle Junior High School led all of the other schools with 69 incidents, an increase of 26; Hartselle High School had 19 fewer incidents from 58 to 39; Burleson was up by seven from 25 to 32; Crestline gained eight, from 18 to 26; and Barkley Bridge reported its first incident in three years.
The state’s Education Accountability Law requires that copies of the annual report be distributed to media representatives, parent organizations and legislators no later than Dec. 31 of the year it is completed.
Fighting was listed as the cause behind 37 of the incidents and 18 of those occurred at HJHS. Other incident types reported were: defiance of authority, 29, assault, 19; harrassment 18; persistent disobediance, 15; disorderly conduct, 15; threats/intimidation, nine; and profanity, eight. Other incidents included possession of weapon, two; drugs possession, two; and sexual offenses, two. The incidents resulted in disciplinary action as follows: suspensions, 41; corporal punishment, 45; alternative school, 23; and alternative setting, two.