Lexington (MA) High School Senate

LEXINGTON HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT-FACULTY SENATE

2005-2006

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

Minutes from Meeting: 3-22-06

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

II. Approval of Minutes: Minutes Approved.

III. Approval of Agenda: Agenda Approved.

IV. Announcements: 1) Moderator Lubershane explains why today's set-up is weird. It is also Assistant Moderator Kafrissen's birthday. Next week, we will not meet because of MCAS.

V. Open Comments: 1) Senator Buttaro expresses dismay that the Constitutional amendment that passed did not include METCO. METCO staff are certified as are librarians and other employees. In the future, we should base legislation on facts and not assumptions.

2) Communications committee met and discussed perceived problems of Senate. Senator Harper brings up the issue of insularity of Senate; because of legislations that wither, and hostile responses the administration gives to some Senate actions, we seem to be losing power.

3) Come to Student-Faculty basketball game next Tuesday night.

VI. Committee Reports: 1) Climate met and discussed the Detention bill.

2) Communications committee oversees LHS Today. The power to moderate has now been delegated to Charles Park and Senator Jhe.

VII. Detention Bill 1) There is no confusion regarding detentions in the handbook. The 1st breach of policy mentioned is cutting a class. The issue of unequal enforcement is a completely separate issue. There should be a bill that speaks about consistency.

2) On the back of the Detention Bill, it says teachers deal with more local affairs such as skipping classes. Deans deal with kids who show patterns.

3) Instead of bashing the bill, we should pose the same question we posed to Dean Lasa about the detention policy to every dean.

4) We seem to lack empathy for the deans. As Mr. Cole's letter indicated, deans deal with a lot of issues. We need to understand their jobs better and just let them do it. Also, why would anyone cut a study?

5) We forced deans to come. If deans seek patterns in kids, that could even be in the handbook. Deans should go back and formulate a consistent policy. They already have a lot of wiggle room.

6) Deans seem to have too much leniency. How severely you get punished depends on what dean you have. But the bill as currently written is going nowhere. We should come up with a resolution.

7) Deans need freedom to deal with students as they are involved in kids' education. Senator Colarusso expresses the flaw in consistency proposal by using the ban class participation grade analogy. Also, some students really do need to be disciplined so they can graduate.

8) Change in the handbook is not too late. School committee will consider potential revisions to the handbook soon.

9) We should not pass a resolution because we shouldn't succumb to the administration. The bill is critical to a strong Senate.

10) Deans track people down because of relationships. They are trying to find out in person what has happened.

11) Senate should not take rash actions. We need to work with the administration. Also, the law regarding this issue does not pertain to it because disciplinary action will still be there. It will just be localized.

12) The reason studies are bad is that it is just like a detention. We can' talk in some studies and your friends may not be in it.

13) Resolution is the most effective. We should ask deans nicely because we are changing their ways.

14) We need to work together with the administration. The bill may not send the message we want.

15) Deans deal with private and confidential matters. Also the faculty does not want to deal with detentions.

16) Passed resolution is more effective than a failed bill.

17) Deans have a lot of things to do that we don't comprehend. Their time is valuable too. Half of the deans have already told the principal to veto this bill. This is a losing battle.

18) We don't like the idea of being push over, but we can see where the deans are coming from.

19) Failed bills are sweet. Look at the bill regarding Don't Ask Don't Tell.

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