The Fairfax County School Board rejected a controversial parental notification amendment Friday morinig.
The school board met until about 1:30 a.m. Friday to discuss possible changes to its student discipline policy but rejected most of the amendments.
The potential policy change that generated the most concern dealt with parental notification.
"Administrators can bring students in and interview them and ask for a written statement, on a very serious offense, [and then] that the child could be suspended for 10 days and written up for expulsion," Fairfax County School Board member Megan McLaughlin warns. "Parents have no idea that this could all take place without their being involved in the process."
McLaughlin added, "When we leave parents out of that process, we break the faith with the parents, we break the trust with the parents, we also leave our children, who are minors, without that support that they need at such a serious and very scary time for the child."
By 11 p.m. Thursday, the board struck down three amendments to the policy.
Westfield High School principal Tim Thomas felt administrators were being unfairly characterized.
"Principals are anything but against parental notifications, for us it's about timing, and when," Thomas said.
He thinks the reality of waiting to investigate a potential offense until parents are notified can be unrealistic.
However, Fairfax County mother of three Karen Cogan, has already warned her children.
"They are not to speak with a student administrator until a parent is present," Cogan said.
Cogan is the wife of a former Fairfax County Police officer and she understands the importance of gathering evidence quickly. In the case of actual emergencies, the policy would allow administrators to do just that.
"We're talking about weapons, bombs... those kinds of threats to the students and the school building itself, absolutely, everything must be done quickly, and as soon as possible," Cogan said.
For still serious offenses, like drug possession, she said parents need to be notified.