The recent publicity surrounding the case of the Katy (TX) ISD student who wrote a term of endearment to another student on a gymnasium wall is a growing symptom of the problem students face in our public schools, not an aberration.
Texas Zero Tolerance, among other groups, petitioned the Texas State Legislature in the recently expired session to bring relief to the growing problem of punishments not in line with infractions. A bill, which would have made it mandatory for districts to consider intent and the true nature of the offense before pronouncing punishment, passed the Texas House unanimously but languished in the laps of the Senate Education Committee, chaired by Senator Florence Shapiro with local (Houston Metro) Senators Kyle Janek and Dan Patrick as members.
Had the Texas Senate actually had an opportunity to vote on this bill, we believe it would have passed unanimously and become law immediately upon the Governor’s signature. The incident concerning Miss. Sendelbach happened after the session was adjourned and so it stands to reason that none of this would be happening if the Senate Education Committee had stepped up and done the right thing: Shame on them allowing these travesties to continue for another two years.
