NAACP reviews expulsions of Belleville West students

The NAACP East St. Louis chapter is reviewing the expulsions Monday of two Belleville West High School students who have been charged in a Sept. 14 school bus attack, saying that the move could do more harm than good, the Rev. Johnny Scott said.

"I'm not trying to uphold any wrongdoing. You've got to be punished," said Scott, who is president of the NAACP chapter. "But we've got to look at the circumstances. Who are we punishing? We're punishing the future generation. ... We don't need to take away their education."

The organization's lawyers will be reviewing the case to offer the school board alternatives, Scott said.

"We want to come up with a plan to present to the district, and hopefully, they can amend their action," Scott said. "We're not leaving any stone unturned."

Scott said his attorneys will also be looking at the two students' records before the bus incident, and the district's record with enforcing its discipline policy.

Meanwhile, the school board has formed a committee devoted to reviewing the district's discipline policies.

"Our purpose is to review and implement any changes that we find to be necessary with respect to the district's discipline procedures," said Kurt Schroeder, who was appointed to the committee with fellow board member Shelly Schaefer.

At the West campus, school administrators and staff are working to get parents and students involved in a new anti-bullying initiative known as Students and Teachers Offering Protection (STOP).

Principal Bob Dahm and school social worker Christy Cerminn met Wednesday to discuss how the group, which will consist of staff members and students, will address bullying.

"I think this whole incident reinforces how important it is that our schools are connected to the community, and that as the community, we obviously need their input as it relates not just to education."

Dahm said a STOP meeting for parents will be scheduled for early October, following a Sept. 29 meeting at the school at which the group will be seeking student volunteers for a peer mediation program to coincide with STOP.

"We feel pretty good about the progress we've made in a short amount of time in moving forward," he said.