Durham Public Schools to review its code of conduct policy
DURHAM (WTVD) -- Durham Public Schools has initiated a task force of community and education leaders to make upgrades to its code of conduct policy.
The meeting is an effort to update the code of conduct and reduce suspension rates. The school district says a total of 5,235 students were suspended for up to three days, and 69 were suspended for 11 days or more during the 2013-14 school year.
School leaders say black male students are over-represented in the numbers.
The task force has been working on this proposal all school year. They are looking at how to discipline students more appropriately for violation of policies including, but not limited to, disruptive behavior, cheating, and dress code violations.
Recently, African-American parents protested outside of the School for Creative Studies, because they say their daughters were threatened with suspension for wearing African head wraps to school. Head wear is prohibited-except for religious purposes.
Read more here: Protest held at Durham school for African head wraps
The school denies threatening the girls with suspension. But school leaders say that this task force will look at possibly adding "cultural expression" to the dress code.
Thursday is the first time that board will see the proposal. If they have suggestions or changes, they will give the proposal back to the task force to fix.
