After months of meetings and testimony from students, the Legislative Task Force to Study School Discipline is recommending to legislators that Colorado schools effectively eliminate their zero- tolerance policy.
The six lawmakers who were part of the task force approved the recommendation, designed to give educators more discretion over expulsions and police referrals, by a 5-1 vote. If approved by a second committee of lawmakers, the recommendation will be considered by the legislature next spring.
The 16-member task force was formed in July to explore alternatives to the zero-tolerance discipline system, which was created after the 1999 Columbine school massacre. The policy is often blamed for punishments that are considered by critics too harsh for certain offenses.
The proposed legislation would limit mandatory expulsions to cases of students who bring firearms to school. Kristen Leigh Painter, The Denver Post
