The Howard County School Board rejected a bill that would give the state Education Department the authority to set suspension and expulsion guidelines for local jurisdictions.
“We already have procedures in place. We have a code of conduct that is very successful,” said Roger Plunkett, business, community and government relations officer for Howard County Public Schools. “We believe that should be a local school board?s decision.”
Plunkett said the school system?s three-step discipline approach has worked well for Howard County. “Whenever the local [system] can take ownership of the situation, we support it,” Plunkett said.
The bill, sponsored by state Sens. James Robey, D-Howard, and Catherine Pugh, D-Baltimore City, is set for a hearing Feb. 21.
