Incident reports rise in schools

By By Clif Knight, Hartselle Enquirer
Student misbehavior in two of Hartselle’s five public schools increased dramatically in 2007-08, based on figures contained in a state-mandated school accountability report that tracks school safety and discipline.
A report released to the media last week shows that the number of incidents at Hartselle High School increased from 58 in school year 2006-07 to 259 in 2007-08. At Hartselle Junior High, the number jumped from 69 to 240. Crestline Elementary School showed a gain of eight, from 26 to 34; F.E. Burleson Elementary had eight fewer incidents, down from 32; and Barkley Bridge Elementary had zero incidents, down from one the previous year.
As a whole the school system reported 557 incidents, or 390 more than the 167 reported in the prior year.
Disobedience was listed as the cause behind 120 of the incidents with 87 of those occurring at HJHS and 22 at HHS. Disorderly conduct accounted for 96; defiance of authority, 77; misuse of electronic pagers (cell phones), 58; and unauthorized truancy, 41. Other incident types were: harassment, 28; profanity or vulgarity, 27; larceny/theft, 19 and threat/intimidation, both 19; assault, nine; knife possession, seven; tobacco use, six; sexual offenses and disruptive demonstrations, both five; drugs possession, four; tobacco possession, two; and criminal mischief and other weapons possession, one each.
The incidents resulted in disciplinary measures as follows: in-school suspension, 450; out-of-school suspension, 76; corporal punishment, 30; alternative school, 24; and alternative school setting, 12. There were no expulsions.
The state’s Education Accountability Law requires that copies of the annual report be distributed to media representatives, parent organizations and legislators.