Board upholds expulsion recommendation after parent's appeal; hearing reveals communication gaps
Summary
After an appeal hearing, the board approved the superintendent's recommendation for a 90‑day alternative placement with a 45‑day review for a student involved in a Sept. 24 altercation; the appeal highlighted missed notifications and parents' requests for clearer due-process communications.
The Natchitoches Parish School Board on Dec. 9 approved the superintendent's recommendation to place a student in alternative placement for up to 90 days with a 45‑day review, following an appeal from the student's mother.
Parent Latravia Rose appealed the disciplinary decision arising from an altercation on Sept. 24 at the junior high gym. Rose said she did not receive timely documentation and was not personally called about the incident; she said the resulting placement and alternative‑school assignment had caused hardship for family routines and work schedules. "I was not contacted directly," Rose told the board.
Hearing officer Miller summarized the hearing record: video evidence showed the student pushed another student and then struck the other student several times; Miller said staff followed policy and that the evidence supported the disciplinary recommendation. Miller described the district process that issues an initial hearing letter, follows with a findings letter by certified mail, and provides five days to request an appeal.
Board members pressed staff about the timeline and communication. Staff acknowledged some mailings had been misdelivered or returned and said that, while such problems do not automatically negate due process, they signal an administrative gap that the district will address. The panel noted the student had been suspended for 10 days while the expulsion process moved forward and that the 45‑day review would occur in mid‑December (staff later clarified the 45‑day review date as Jan. 8, with an option to return earlier depending on scheduling and virtual days).
On a roll-call vote the motion to approve the superintendent's expulsion recommendation passed with six yes votes, four no votes and one abstention. Board members who voted yes said they were following district policy and the hearing officer's recommendation; members who voted no cited concerns about communication delays and the student's circumstances.
The board directed staff to review communication procedures for notifying parents when hearings are scheduled and when findings are issued.
