"There's been an outcry from the community in all areas ... for evaluation of the process overall," said Nicky Charles, deputy chief of staff for the School Reform Commission, the district's governing body which ultimately rules on whether to expel students. "There are contradicting camps and it's our responsibility to take all of it into consideration."
Some argue that the district should be stricter with disruptive students to keep schools safe. Others decry a heavy-handed disciplinary approach, which they fear criminalizes students at a young age.
The new approach, being rolled out this month, represents a middle ground between how expulsions were handled under former CEO Paul Vallas who left in 2007 and former Superintendent Arlene C. Ackerman, who left last month.
Under Vallas, the district discontinued expulsions altogether and sent problem students directly to disciplinary schools, which is where most of them end up anyway after expulsion.
By law, the school district is required to provide education to students who are expelled if parents do not enroll their child elsewhere. The law does not spell out how much education must be provided. Philadelphia has decided to offer a full education in one of its disciplinary schools, which have specialized curriculum, counseling and tight security.
Ackerman reinstituted expulsions in 2008, as called for by former Safe Schools Advocate Jack Stollsteimer, resulting in a couple hundred cases each year. Stollsteimer had argued that federal and state law require a one-year expulsion in weapons cases, but conceded that the superintendent can make exceptions.
