LAUSD Changes Discipline Policy to Counseling for Minor Offenses

Los Angeles Unified School District students will no longer be cited for most campus fights, petty theft and other minor offenses, but will instead be referred to counseling and other services, district officials announced Tuesday.

The move was billed as a way to move the district away from punitive law enforcement in favor of working to improve students’ behavior while helping them succeed academically instead of dropping out.

“This is another of many policy shifts intended to decriminalize student behavior, when possible, and to keep youth in school and out of the juvenile justice system,” Superintendent John Deasy said.

School officials said arrests, suspensions and expulsions can still result from more serious violations. Such violations include a fight that leaves a person in need of treatment by paramedics, the student has a history of violent acts or arrests or the student has failed to complete the diversion program for the same type of offense.

The diversion program applies to students aged 13-17. Younger students are neither arrested or ticketed for minor violations, officials said.

School Police Chief Steve Zipperman said in some instances and officer may talk to a student and issue a warning, or refer the student to a school administrator or a diversion program.

Depending on the offense, a student’s family could become involved while the student is encouraged to accept responsibility, repair any damage and address “root causes of the conduct” in hopes of preventing any re-offense.

“Our officers will work with school administrators to provide the most appropriate intervention and resolution of an incident without an arrest or a citation for certain offenses,” Zipperman said.

National studies show that one arrest doubles a student’s risk of dropping out of school, according to Manuel Criollo of the Community Rights Campaign, a Los Angeles civil rights group that has helped spearhead efforts to reduce the police presence on Los Angeles campuses.

The group contends that the LAUSD has traditionally had one of the nation’s highest rates of student citations and arrests.

— City News Service