Florida
Related: About this forumFlorida officials told student diversion programs often work
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) - The school district where the Florida high school massacre happened defended its controversial student diversion program Thursday, telling a commission investigating the shooting that the program has reduced on-campus crime and kept children in school - a claim many members remained skeptical of.
Broward County schools administrator Michaelle Pope told the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission that the number of offenses covered by the Promise program have fallen by two-thirds from about 6,000 a year to about 2,000 a year since 2013.
There are 10 misdemeanors eligible for the Promise program, including fighting, threatening assault, petty vandalism and theft, drug and alcohol use, creating a major disruption and making a false accusation against a staff member.
Under the Promise program, which covers kindergarten through high school, students are sent to an alternative program for up to 10 days and they and their families receive counseling. Police officers are notified after the third offense in a school year, although they can arrest a student on a first offense if they choose. The program was devised by the school district, police, prosecutors, public defenders, a judge and community groups including the NAACP to reduce the number of students being arrested for minor on-campus crime and all remain supportive of the program, Pope said.
Read more: http://www.msnewsnow.com/story/38376338/florida-officials-told-student-diversion-programs-often-work
MichMary
(1,714 posts)in the vast majority of cases, but the Parkland shooter fell through the cracks. The Columbine shooters were also in a diversion program, although through the courts, not the school. I guess if someone is determined enough they can fool those in authorities.
murielm99
(30,755 posts)was still technically a student. He was being allowed to finish his credits outside of class. He should have graduated with the class he was shooting at, and he should have been a part of the graduation rehearsals he was shooting at.
I don't know if they have a diversion program per se, but students there are allowed to finish their work at home.