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Parents and advocates press board to end K‑2 out‑of‑school suspensions, request policy changes and monthly reporting
Summary
Multiple parents and advocacy groups urged the New Hanover County School Board to revise short‑term suspension rules (policy 4351) for kindergarten through second grade, asking for guaranteed parent contact before suspension and monthly reporting of K‑2 suspension counts by school and reason.
Dozens of parents, teachers and local advocates used the board’s public comment period to press the New Hanover County School Board to stop suspending kindergarten through second‑grade students and to adopt specific policy changes that increase transparency and parental involvement.
Speakers representing the group Love Our Children, the Gifted Advisory Council, Youth Villages, and other community members cited long delays in review of short‑term suspension policy 4351 and proposed two concrete additions: (1) require principals to contact parents of K–2 students before a suspension determination is made; and (2) require the superintendent to send each board member a monthly report listing the number of K–2 students suspended by school and by reason. Those requests were repeated by multiple speakers who said the policy committee has discussed the matter at times but has not adopted the proposed changes.
“Where’s the transparency?” Jan Landis asked, pointing to the board’s strategic goals and asking how a district can meet its third‑grade reading targets while removing young learners from instruction. Veronica McLaurin Brown and others representing Love Our Children described an ongoing campaign: written proposals were submitted beginning April 18, 2023, and the group expects the policy committee to place the item on its January agenda. The group asked the board to formalize the two additions to policy 4351 so principals follow the practice consistently and the board receives timely data for policy and budget decisions.
Advocates cited prior committee meetings. Barbara Guerra noted that the state released school data in September 2024 and that the district has not transparently published revised suspension figures. Loretta Stackhouse and others urged the board to adopt a monthly reporting requirement so trustees can “render decisions based on the available facts,” referencing Policy 2120’s ethics requirement to use available data.
Board members and staff acknowledged the requests and the need for committee review. Love Our Children said it will attend the policy committee’s Jan. 21 meeting. Staff did not record any final vote on suspension policy during the meeting; rather, public commenters and advocates requested the policy committee take formal action.
