FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1999
Forty-four students were expelled during the 1998-99 school year, according to a report by the district's Research and Evaluation staff. During the 1997-98 school year 42 students were expelled. The 44 students represent less than one-half of one percent of the 25,113 students enrolled last year.
Several students recommended for expulsion were actually diverted into alternative options. Those options include placement in special education because the behavior was determined to be due to an emotional disorder, placement in an alternative school, or some other type of off-campus educational setting. For the 1998-99 school year, 107 students were recommended for expulsion; 96 were recommended in 1997-98.
Madison schools have a "zero tolerance" policy relating to any kind of weapon, including starter pistols, pocket knives, or "look-alike" weapons. Possession of any drug or weapon is grounds for automatic recommendation for expulsion.
Nearly three-fourths of those students actually expelled (32 students) stemmed from incidents related to a weapon, assault or bomb threat. Forty-three percent (46 incidents) of those recommended for expulsion were due to possession of a weapon (19 actually expelled – 43% of those expelled); 13 percent (14 incidents) for assault against a staff member (8 expelled – 18% of those expelled) and 6.5 percent (7 incidents) for bomb threat/false alarm (5 expelled – 11.4%).
Public Information Office
545 W. Dayton St.
Madison, WI 53703
608-266-6270
email: newsrelease@madison.k12.wi.us
Last Modified: 1999-09-27
HTML Editor & Publisher: Chris Burch, cburch@madison.k12.wi.us
webmaster@madison.k12.wi.us