Phila. district defends expulsion policy

In his memo, Stollsteimer also blasted the district for failing to expel or transfer students to disciplinary schools for other serious offenses, such as assault on teachers or possession of other kinds of weapons. He alleged that 71 percent of the 5,207 serious offenses reported in 2006-07 did not result in transfer.

The same year, the district reported 1,898 assaults on staff, yet transferred to disciplinary schools only 22 percent of the students involved in assaults, Stollsteimer's memo said. In addition, 32 percent of the cases resulted in the arrest of students.

The memo came as the Safety Advisory Committee prepares to make recommendations for improving the disciplinary process and safety. The committee's report will be presented to the commission in June, said James Golden, the district's chief safety executive.

Sheila Simmons, education director of Public Citizens for Children and Youth and a member of the district's safety committee, said she supported the district's decision not to expel students.

"I don't see the point of kids, whether they have been convicted of something or not, being on the streets in the middle of the day," she said. "There's not a lot for kids to do during these hours, so they need to be in a classroom somewhere."

The district receives more than $350 million from the federal Education Department annually, about $6.2 million of which is used for safety efforts.