DISTRICT BRIEFING

Thursday, January 8, 2009

SCHOOL SUSPENSION RULES

Bill About Agency's Role on Guidelines Is Vetoed

Mayor Adrian M. Fenty vetoed a D.C. Council bill yesterday that would give the state superintendent of education and the State Board of Education authority to set new guidelines for school suspensions.

In a letter to Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray, Fenty said the Public Schools and Public Charter Schools Suspension Reform Emergency Act of 2008 improperly inserts the state education agency into the day-to-day operations of the school system.

The bill, sponsored by council members Marion Barry (D-Ward 8) and Harry Thomas Jr. (D-Ward 5) and passed Dec. 16, would discourage suspensions for "frivolous" reasons and allow parents to pursue civil actions against school administrators for unwarranted suspensions. It was a response to a series of serious disciplinary problems in schools.

Fenty (D) said that Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee is revising the disciplinary rules and that although state education officials have a key role to play in developing broad standards, the bill would undermine mayoral control of the school system, which legislation established in 2007.

The bill "turns the governance structure upside down, which will only serve to defeat and dilute our shared responsibility," Fenty wrote.

-- Hamil R. Harris and Bill Turque

INVESTIGATIONS

Police Find 3 Young Children at NE Home Alone

D.C. authorities are investigating a Northeast Washington mother after police found her three young children by themselves in their home yesterday afternoon, officials said.

D.C. police and firefighters broke down a door in the 1700 block of Capitol Avenue about 3:30 p.m. after a neighbor called authorities. The neighbor had heard a baby crying.

Police found two toddlers and a 5-month-old in the home, which had filthy conditions, authorities said. The city's Child and Family Services Agency took the children into custody.

-- Clarence Williams

Teen Is Fatally Shot Outside His Apartment Building

A 16-year-old Southeast Washington youth was fatally shot yesterday outside his apartment building, D.C. police said.

Police were called to the 1400 block of Morris Road SE about 6:30 p.m. and found the male teenager on a walkway with what appeared to be multiple gunshot wounds, said Cmdr. Joel Maupin of the 7th Police District. The youth was taken to George Washington University Hospital and pronounced dead soon after arrival, officials said.

Authorities did not know of a motive for the shooting, Maupin said.

-- Clarence Williams