Apparently they can/DO!
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How about the other points made? Lazy district, etc...

NO whythink you are wrong. They can not require any student to take any type of medication. Period. Check your facts. Make some phone calls. Call the O.C.R.,, you sound ignorant.

curtain,
You are SO MISINFORMED I don't know where to begin.
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1st, how can it be a vacation if the students are required to attend an Alternative program like TATE?
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2nd, fighting at the HS level can involve things that lead to expulsion but not reported in the article. Staff involvement, injuries to the victim, was it a fight or beatdown, prior referrals, etc... I doubt a nice kid just had a bad day and "fought" another student and then was expelled. For some reason I don't believe this district operates that way.
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Regarding the meds., in order to return to school early, prior to the expulsion being up, I believe the district can require just about anything (within limits of course). What the district is saying quite clearly is you are expelled to this date, if you want back early here is what you must do. At that point, taking prescribed meds. can legally be on the table. If you refuse to take the meds than simply sit out your expulsion, if you want back early, play by our rules.
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Regarding the "lazy" district. Did you miss the article on all the policies and procedures put in place in order to reduce expulsions? Heck, I remember people, including the Gazette, questioning that.
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BOTTOM LINE: I guess some just HATE public education.

The school has to educate all regardless of meds or not. They have to have legitimate grounds to expel and if any of these kids have I.E.P. s they can not just expel.. it gets much more complicated. Remember as well, they lose federal funds for each student expelled and then cry about he budget. If they worked a little harder to help these kids... but they take the easy way out. The joke really is these kids are not being 'punished' , its a early vacation. . It's scary this is how educators behave.

Umm...I do understand that schools cannot force meds. I also want YOU to understand that all students have the right to be educated in a safe environment. If they are threats (believe me there are some) for the saftey of others, they will be removed...no matter what the reason.

Napalm said nothing about the drugs, but about the kids expelled for fighting. Read his post.

Napalm wrote: "The school system just set their course."
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NO. The kids that chose to fight and possess marijuana set THEIR course.
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That's the problem with society today is we blame OTHERS for the choices we make so we do not have to take any responsibility for our actions.
Get real Napalm.

virtual schools not only save money, but offer a better learning environment than brick and mortar for a lot of students on both ends .

I agree with napalm, unless there was weapons involved, fighting is not a good enough reason for expelling. Suspending yes, expelling no. This article said nothing about weapons , so you can bet there was none. They would have made it clear if there was weapons. Schools just get lazy.

facts101- like I said schools LEGALLY CAN NOT REQUIRE ANYONE, KIDS OR TEACHERS to take drugs for behavior issues. Questions call the D.P.I. or the OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS. This district may end up getting it self sued if it tries to enforce that part of their plan.

Oh yes take your medication just like a good little lemming. This is the answer all over in schools when kids don't act like the other kids. Drug em is the answer it also saves the schools from having kids that are independent and are willing to ask questions. And its very easy for teachers to teach kids who all just sit like zombies and agree with everything they are taught. What kind of future generations are we raising if we just keep em all drugged to make them think and behave the way society wants them.

IT IS ILLEGAL FOR THE SCHOOL to require any student to be on any medication of any kind. They legally can not do that, nor can they deny services because a student is not on meds for behavior. IF anyone is having that problem call the D.P.I. or the Office of civil rights. SOME teachers think they can dictate if a child will get services or not, based on if they are on meds or not. NO they can not . IT is not legal for them to do that and they can be sued for attempting to insist that you put your kids on drugs.

I would think the reason they would have to take medication to be able to return is because they do not have control over themselves without it. Yes the meds. may have serious side affects but I would guess for the safety of others, you need them or don't bother.

evansvillehw: you must home school your kids.

evansvillehousewife: Please keep in mind that I have NO personal info. on this what so ever. My comment was strictly an opinion as to what seemed to make sense (not what was right or wrong). Is it possible that the families may have wanted that written into the reinstatement? Just a thought too.

I think the school has no rights, or business getting in ANYONE'S medical condition. They must by the ADA act provide an education to anyone regardless of disabilities. It is NOT their place to mandate treatment of such conditions. HIPAA forbids this. I hope these kids parents tell the school to stick it as far as being prescribed medications.

I heartily endorse the teachers getting a free supply of Xanax, along with a lunchtime Margarita however-

So many of those "medications" have serious side effects, are addictive, and make a child feel just plain crummy. If the problem is because the kid has a horrendous home life, 'medicating' isn't going to help.
We have yet to see a large, double blind study on pediatric drugs and their effects on adult brain functions, but there will be one coming.

I hope these kids get enrolled in IQ academy or some other home educating option. Public high school is not the only option for an excellent education.

Misterlippy: That probably means that there is a medical condition for these students that needs medicating. Their doctor has prescribed something and the parents have provided it for their child. However, the student is more than likely refusing to take their medication. My next guess would be that the "condition" might have something to do with behavior/anger management/bipolar, etc. I have no "inside scoop" here. Just 12+ years formerly working in school districts and this is what would make sense to me. However, not sure why that particular information was necessary to include in the article. The rest of the reinstatement expectations was enough information to know that the district was taking this seriously. To include a statement about the meds was overkill by the Gazette.

The children are required to take prescribed medication to be considered for reinstatement? I've never heard of such a requirement - does anybody know what that means in detail?

Quite seriously some kids do not belong in the typical brick and mortar schools.
They just don't do well there. Schools can be nasty places for some kids. From what I read the last time of course, the gazette posted this much needed, news worthy info ( catch the sarcasm.) it sounds like the Janesville school district has many great alternatives in place for kids who are expelled.

Naughty kids wasting valuable time from their lives. I hope they get back on track soon.

I guess the question asked in an opinion piece a couple weeks ago about the district balancing safety while reducing expulsions has been answered. When push comes to shove...safety wins out.
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It certainly seems the TATE program is a valuable tool. Hopefully the budget continues to include funding for this program. Where would these expelled students go without TATE?

no comments yet?????? slow day.