Lexington (MA) High School Senate

LEXINGTON HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT-FACULTY SENATE

2005-2006

Moderator Peter Lubershane, Assistant Moderator Sam Kafrissen, Secretary Peter Kim

DATE: 3-22-06

Agenda: Announcements

Open Comments

Committee Reports

Detention Bill

Amendment to Constitution

New Business

Minutes from Meeting: 3-15-06

I. Call to Order: Meeting is called to order at 7:50 by Moderator Lubershane

II. Approval of Minutes: 1) Senator Gao was here.

III. Approval of Agenda: 1) Motion to include discussion of a new amendment to the constitution after Detention Bill is proposed. Motion passes.

IV. Announcements: 1) The librarians have asked us to clean up the room because there will be a class

in here.

V. Open Comments: 1) Maybe we should have closing time towards the end of Senate to clean up.

2) Senator Collins says he got a new perspective on Detention Bill after getting a detention and discussing the matter with Mr. Cole.

VI. Committee Reports:

VII. Detention Bill 1) Bill is unconstitutional because State requires your attendance at school. One has to have certain attendance record at school or they will be confronted by truancy officers.

2) It is not our job to tell other people how to do their job.

3) The bill's intent is not to allow kids to cut classes. We feel that the procedure of giving detention is inefficient. Teachers can do it more efficiently.

4) Disciplinary matters are often handled on multiple levels. Administrators have the role of disciplinarians and we should not limit that power. The bill will be vetoed.

5) Only deans have up to date information on kid's attendance record.

6) What is the current procedure for giving out detentions and where is it described? Dean Lasa explains the current policy on two levels.

7) Deans are not consistent in handling the detentions.

8) There is nothing that says deans have to give detentions. Deans cannot apply a strict policy to 2000 students. Deans deal with each on a case-by-case basis.

9) The issue that deans are inconsistent in giving out detentions is a legitimate complaint. We have to be specific about what type of detentions we are talking about. Teachers cannot give auditorium detentions. Students can ignore teacher detentions.

10) Kids should face the consequences. They should know what they are doing is wrong.

11) There is a lack of consistency. Deans should communicate with each other better. Teachers are currently too overburdened to deal with this.

12) What about cutting homerooms or study halls? We may not be violating any state laws. Teachers do not know if an absence will become excused or unexcused. If teachers have to do this, it will be too much of a burden. Also, the relationship teachers have with kids will be distorted. Deans need to meet to discuss this issue.

13) School has the legal right to be responsible for teenagers. Senator Stein remarks that LHS policy is lenient. He used to get detentions for being late when he was a teenager.

14) The detention policy is not posted anywhere. We still would like to see guidelines that outline to students what happens when they cut classes. It also has to be consistent.

15) Administration is giving us a benefit of the doubt. We do not need a strict policy. Also, why do deans seek individuals during class time? Deans try to use homerooms but sometimes in class is the only time a kid can be found.

16) The Senate has a right to be concerned about this issue. But the bill destroys relationships between deans and parents or students, and between teacher and students. There will always be inconsistencies by the nature of our school system.

17) We appreciate this discussion. Basic reality is that this is a school that is easy to cut. There is no one front door. But older seniors who stayed back say they wished someone had been on them. They need to graduate.

18) Be careful what you wish for. We do not need more restrictive regulations. LHS is a school that is easy to go to. Should Senate be forcing the administration to issue a tougher policy, and encourage kids to cut corners?

List of Senators Absent from Senate meeting: *Denotes excused/notified absence.

Sherburne* Earle* Slane Eid-Reiner Krensky Chaulet

Kalsow-Ramos Lane Lee* Park* Fiveash*