There have been several recent incidents within Howard County public schools regarding racial  threats.  Due to these incidents, many students, parents, and community members have vocalized their fears and concerns. Many students have expressed that they feel unsafe in a school environment because of threat and the lack of communication between HCPSS administration and the rest of the community.This issue can be solved by sharing the knowledge that students, staff, and community are safe. People should have the right to be informed if the student is expelled or when the student returns to the school/ school system.

 When people are left without information, they are in constant fear that the threatening student will return. At this point in time, administration and HCPSS cannot share any knowledge of the student’s return or lack thereof. The feeling of safety is jeopardized when students are not informed properly.

 This proposal changes that. All students have the right to a safe learning environment and HCPSS claims that they “are committed to providing a safe, engaging, and supportive school environment that maintains an environment of order, safety, and discipline necessary for effective learning”, as stated in the HCPSS Student Disciplinary Policy Statement (9200).

 We are proposing that in the event that a threat is implied towards HCPSS students, staff, or others within the community, those people affected have the right to know about whether or not their safety is at risk, including when and if the student in question returns to the school system. The official proposal will be included at the end of this statement.

 We appreciate the time you took to read this and hope that it moves you to support the policy proposal by signing this petition. We strongly urge you to share this and encourage others to do the same. If you feel strongly about this policy proposal or these incidents, we also encourage you to send us an email about it so we can incorporate personal testimonies within our petition and so that the student voice will be heard by the Board of Education.

These photos are real examples of incidents that have occurred throughout Howard County. Faces and racial slurs have been blurred out for formal purposes.

 Thank you again, the email you can contact us about this is hocostudentvoice@gmail.com

 (POLICY 9200-IP Section III) - Additions we intend to make are italicized.

 III. Investigation/Reports

A. A school administrator will investigate any alleged violation of the HCPSS Student Code of Conduct in a timely manner and complete the required incident report.

B. If, at the conclusion of the investigation, the school administrator finds that there has been a violation of the HCPSS Student Code of Conduct, consequent action will be in accordance with the provisions of this policy, Policy 9020 Students’ Rights and Responsibilities, and the HCPSS Student Code of Conduct.

C. All data from incident reports will be entered into the student records management system.

D. Copies of disciplinary referrals describing students’ behavioral violations will be kept in each student’s cumulative file.

E. When a student poses a direct or implied threat to staff, students, or others, standard investigation procedures and disciplinary actions will be taken. In such cases, when students’ and staff’s safety is at risk the minimum disciplinary action will be an extended suspension and up to expulsion. Students, staff, and others whose safety is affected by the student will be notified when and what decision is reached regarding the investigation of the incident. Discretion is up to the administration, based on the severity of the threat, to share the decision if the lack of knowledge regarding the student’s return is jeopardizing a safe and supportive school environment. The educational records of the student will still be kept confidential in accordance to FERPA.

1. Threat -  an intention to inflict pain, injury, damage, or other hostile actions on a person of group of persons who are staff, students, or others who are involved in HCPSS.

2. Direct threat- a statement of an intention to inflict pain, injury, damage, or other hostile actions on a person of group of persons who are staff, students, or others who are involved in HCPSS.

3. Implied Threat - a threat that, although not directly stated, still contains malicious intentions and violates the safety of students, staff or others and a safe school environment