Bill > SCR117

This Concurrent Resolution urges the Department of Education, the State Public Charter School Commission, and each county's police commission in Hawaii to work together and create clear guidelines, called governing protocols, for how student discipline and police involvement on school grounds should be handled. These protocols, which should be developed by August 1, 2022, with input from experts, aim to clarify when school staff should handle student misconduct using school resources like counselors, when and how police should be called to campus, and how police should interact with students of different ages, including procedures for questioning, searching, and potential arrests. The resolution also encourages the use of restorative justice programs, which focus on repairing harm and accountability, and requests a report on findings and recommendations to be submitted to the Legislature. This initiative is prompted by a lack of clear guidelines, as highlighted by a recent incident involving a young student, and is supported by evidence that such protocols can lead to fewer student suspensions, expulsions, and arrests, and improved graduation rates.