Local administrators explain expulsion

"I've expelled kids, and every single time we leave with a handshake."

Mike Allen, Chico High School associate principal, said his attitude when disciplining kids is not a personal one. It's about the student learning from his or her actions.

Mike Allen, Chico High School associate principal.
Photo by Chico High School/Chico Unified School District

"I guess I understand that kids make mistakes," he said. "I work with teenagers. If they didn't make mistakes, I wouldn't have a job."

Though the schools in Chico Unified School District have their own subtle differences in disciplinary practice, many operate under similar guidelines. And all follow California's Education Code, which outlines certain instances when suspensions and expulsions are allowed or required to take place.

Students have to be recommended for expulsion and attend an expulsion hearing before they can be expelled, Allen said. The school board has to approve this expulsion, as well.

If a student is expelled, there are a lot of terms and conditions they have to follow to come back to their original school.

Allen said he generally looks at two things when deciding if a student can come back to Chico High School after an expulsion: "If the student will be a danger on campus or if the student cannot be trusted to not engage in that behavior again."

Laurie DeBock,assistant principal of Bidwell Junior High School, said that certain issues call for certain disciplinary actions. Some leeway in disciplinary actions is allowed for minor instances, but major ones have guidelines specified by Education Code.

Laurie DeBock, assistant principal of Bidwell Jr. High School.

For example, if a student repeatedly yells, is defiant or won't work in class, that usually calls for detention.

If a student is caught possessing illegal substances, like marijuana, the student would be suspended and sent to Academy For Change, DeBock said.

"Many of our kids that get suspended over to AFC, it's for repeated defiance," she said.

Expulsion is immediately recommended in cases in which students bring a firearm to campus, among other serious offenses.

Education Code calls for administrative expulsion hearing panels made up of school administrators in the district.

David McKay, principal of Academy for Change, Center for Alternative Learning, Oakdale Secondary and Fair View High School, is also the district's chair of expulsion panels.

David McKay, principal of continuation schools and chair of expulsions.

"I do about 75 to 90 hearings a year," he said. "So for me, it's like expulsion Tuesday."

The goal of the hearing is to make families understand that the expulsion, if approved, is like a rehabilitation plan, McKay said.

But the hearing is also there to make sure the kid understands there will be consequences for their behavior. Sometimes, a scary expulsion hearing is what is needed to get that across.

"There's a lot of legalize going on," he said, "but that's all we've got."