School board clarifies expulsion rescission
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POLSON — During a special meeting of the Polson School Board of Trustees on Oct. 14, Chair Theresa Taylor spoke about an expulsion hearing for a middle school student held several weeks ago.
Two mothers, one the mother of a seventh-grader allegedly attacked at PMS by another student with a “gun”(after confiscation found to be a plastic, toy gun) and the other the mother of a seventh-grader who is friends with the other girl, were under the impression the alleged assailing student had been expelled for a year. Taylor said Superintendent David Whitesell rescinded that expulsion with the full support of the trustees. The student was instead suspended for 10 days.
Taylor added that any communication with the women would have violated the other student’s rights under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act.
Addressing the expulsion hearing Trustee Brian Havlovick said, “... There was nothing swept under the rug, nothing done to over rule the board. There were a lot of circumstances we heard, took into consideration and we acted on.”
One of the specific grievances of the mothers was the lack of a phone call from school administrators to inform the women of the decision. Havlovick continued. “It’s illegal to call you; it violates someone else’s rights. ... We were bound by laws as well. I just wanted to make sure all you who came and spoke know we heard you.”
Among other comments Suzanne Gzeny, one of the mothers, praised Brian Adams, Polson Middle School principal. She said Adams called both the women and offered help.
“ … Communication and consideration is huge,” Gzeny said. “All we needed was a simple phone call so we could prepare our children.”
In one of her comments, Tomi Todaro, the alleged victim’s mother, said … “Every single one of you (trustees) are to blame. I do not feel safe having my kids go to your school.”
After the expulsion hearing clarification, the board worked on long-range strategic planning.
