House panel recommends bills to curb school violence

A 13-bill package aimed at protecting students who want to learn while getting tougher with students who don't was outlined in the report. The bills summarize much of what a House education subcommittee heard during nine public hearings it held statewide on school violence earlier this year.

The bills encourage things such as having school districts draw up codes of conduct and policies for dealing with violence. They also put money into alternative education programs for troubled youths expelled from their local schools.

Starting the alternative program would cost roughly $15 million a year. Other funding mentioned in the plan includes $75 million for an intervention and prevention program for juvenile violence and crime and $1.25 million for after-school, non-athletic programs.

House Education Committee Chair Sharon Gire (D-Clinton Township) said adding more alternative programs across the state could reduce the need for more prison space in the future.

''It's a lot cheaper to fund this program than a boot camp, jail or prison,'' she said.

Some observers say the bills aren't needed, since school districts and their boards can and are doing much of what the bills would require.

But Marc Cory, legislative liaison for Lansing Public Schools, said the package broadens the resources beyond school gates for solving violence and behavior problems.

''It assists in dealing with problems as a community,'' Cory said. ''Bringing together all community resources to solve problems is how we build communities.''

The bipartisan bills also include measures, already passed by the Senate, that would expel students who assault teachers. Some bills in the package are to be taken up by the House Education Committee next week.

The House package allows local school boards to determine punishment levels for violations of conduct codes.

''This legislation responds to the leading concerns expressed by parents and educators,'' said House Education Subcommittee on Violence in the Schools Chair Mark Schauer, (D-Battle Creek).

''It preserves local control, stresses violence prevention and coordinates resources to manage the problem.''

Rep. James McNutt (R-Midland) said the bills require that each district have a protocol so everyone knows which behaviors lead to expulsion and that schools will have zero tolerance on violence, drugs, weapons and gangs.

''I think it's maybe a strength,'' McNutt said of the optional standards. ''It provides for flexibility depending on resources each district has.''

Macomb County Prosecutor Carl Marlinga lent his support to the package and particularly to a bill that lets prosecutors seek enhanced penalties against anyone convicted of a felony on school grounds.

''It won't result in additional incarceration time, but will serve as a bloody pulpit to let wrongdoers know to take their business elsewhere,'' he said.

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