Middletown may expand its student code of conduct

Arrests would send players to the sidelines

Staff photo by Gary Stelzer Returning Middies participate in a football camp Monday, June 29, in Middletown.

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By Meagan Engle and Skip Weaver, Staff Writers Updated 1:19 AM Saturday, July 4, 2009

The Middletown Board of Education could expand the district’s student code of conduct to allow for the suspension of students from sports or clubs for bad behavior outside of school.

The board will vote July 13 on policy additions that address inappropriate actions outside of school by students involved in sports or extracurricular activities.

The policy changes were spurred largely by former high school athlete Dwayne “Deejay” Hunter Jr., who has been arrested five times in the past year. Hunter, 18, was allowed to fully participate in football and track activities as he awaited court dates.

The district’s inaction and silence on the Hunter case drew criticism. Some people questioned the message that was being sent to students and athletes.

Athletic Director Gary Lebo said, “We felt this was an opportunity because of that (Hunter) situation for us to put something in there about kids being arrested.

“We’re not dealing with professional or college players,” he added. “We are here to mold kids into being good citizens.”

If the policy changes are approved, students who are arrested or charged with a crime may be suspended from participating in extracurricular activities or competitions until the court action is completed.

Students could be permanently banned from an activity if they are found guilty, admit to or plead no contest to charges. Discipline can be imposed in and out of season.

Students would be prohibited from bringing discredit upon the school or causing a disruption.

“The students that participate in extracurriculars are out front in the public eye as Middies and are really ambassadors and role models of what it is to be a Middletown student,” said board member Marcia Andrew.

“We want those students to be people who we would want to hold up for the public to see.”

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I have to completely agree with "Teacher". If you are going to identify YOURSELF as an EDUCATOR, use proper spelling and grammar at the very least. I actually find it hard to believe that you actually teach at MHS after reading your comments. Shall we take a "POLE"? Kids at MHS need to learn to show some respect. They need to be able to walk with one foot in front of the other without the risk their pants falling around their ankles. Get in trouble? NO SPORTS! No rewarding bad behavior.

American Made
1:36 PM, 8/17/2009

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Suppose a student gets arrested, and is excluded from sports participation. Then later the police decide that the kid was completely innocent, and he didn't do anything wrong.

What will the school board do about having punished an innocent student?

Dave
9:11 PM, 7/7/2009

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The school population as a whole is ridiculous. I graduated from there in 2004, and I am quite certain it has only gotten worse. My sister and I both received excellent educations at Middletown, alongside everyone else. It's a matter of discipline from both the parents and schools. Both need to put their foot down, and enforce their respective rules on morality and ethics. It's disgusting to come back to that town.

C
8:42 PM, 7/5/2009

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V, if you're really a teacher, please don't disgrace the profession by identifying yourself as such again.

Learn some better grammar and some better sentence structure. And please learn to spell. My gosh, the word is "poll," not pole. The school doesn't have "it's" problems.

I hate to think what kind of kids use you for a role model. Judging from state test scores, I've got a pretty good idea.

Teachers that don't see a need for higher expectations were probably taught that way.

Teacher
4:08 PM, 7/5/2009

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Ike, first if you demand respect and you don't allow the disrepectful actions to occur then students will feel safe in your room. I have students who hang out in my room before school, during lunch, and these students feel safe in my comfortable in my classroom. The school has it's problems but it is not as bad as everyone says. When you take a pole, anyone that knows statistics, knows that numbers are sometimes skewed. if you want to see the inside of the school ask for tour during the year.

V
8:36 AM, 7/5/2009

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