Bill > S376

This bill modifies Massachusetts school exclusion policies to provide more detailed and protective procedures for student suspensions and expulsions. The bill changes multiple sections of Chapter 71 of Massachusetts General Laws to redefine the conditions under which students can be excluded from school, requiring principals to demonstrate a "specific, documentable concern about the infliction of serious bodily injury" before suspending or expelling a student. The legislation introduces more robust due process protections, including mandating written notification of charges, providing students the right to a hearing with specific procedural safeguards (such as the ability to present witnesses, access to evidence, and the option to be represented by a lawyer), and ensuring that parents or guardians are included in disciplinary proceedings. The bill also narrows the grounds for exclusion, modifying language about weapons and controlled substances, and specifies that no long-term suspension can extend beyond the school year in which it is imposed. Additionally, the bill removes references to expulsion in several subsections and stipulates that students placed on diversion prior to arraignment are not eligible for suspension. The overall aim appears to be reducing arbitrary school exclusions and ensuring more fair, transparent disciplinary processes for students.

Education

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S376