St. Mary Parish committee revises student discipline matrix to expand detention options and clarify hearings

The St. Mary Parish discipline committee voted Thursday to revise multiple parts of the student discipline matrix, replacing some in-school suspensions with shorter detention options, clarifying language about out-of-school suspensions and hearings, and reclassifying several offense codes by grade and severity.

Mister Holmes, who presented the packet of proposed changes, told the committee the intent was to "assign more detention for level 1 infractions before they get to in-school suspension," and to replace the word "level" with "offense" throughout the matrix for clarity. The committee approved changing the Level 1 third-offense consequence from an automatic one-day in-school suspension to allow either a one-day ISS or a four-hour detention, after members said a four-hour session can be difficult for younger elementary students to complete in a single sitting.

Why it matters: committee members said the changes are designed to reduce the number of suspensions that can trigger a mandatory hearing under state law after a student accumulates three suspensions. Staff emphasized the district already maintains separate matrices for K–5 and 6–12 and recommended keeping grade-specific distinctions where appropriate.

Key decisions and changes

- Level 1 third offense: committee approved language allowing either a one-day ISS or a four-hour detention instead of a required one-day ISS. Several elementary-focused members argued the shorter detention is hard for young children to associate with recent behavior when it is split across days; the committee accepted the compromise.

- Level 2 series: the committee approved a restructured sequence so that first-offense consequences can be a two- to four-hour detention (instead of automatic ISS), second offense one day of ISS, third offense 1–2 days of ISS, and fourth offense 2–3 days of ISS, with hearings invoked consistent with the statute on repeated suspensions.

- Level 3 escalation: the committee moved the third Level 3 offense from a 1–3 day ISS to an out-of-school suspension pending a disciplinary hearing, with a recommendation for long-term suspension or change of placement; the fourth offense is to carry Level 4 consequences (out-of-school suspension pending a hearing).

- Specific code reclassifications: the committee approved moving code 12 (profane or obscene language/drawings) to Level 2 for grades 6–12 while K–5 remains at Level 1; code 6 (conduct/habits injurious to others) will keep Level 2 but explicitly note small thrown items (pencils, erasers); code 15 (throwing missiles liable to injure) was moved to Level 3 for heavier/sharp objects.

- Tobacco and vaping (codes 8 and related codes): the committee moved these violations to Level 3 but kept the already-established tobacco consequences in place: first violation — two days ISS plus a required health video; second — three days ISS plus a required Saturday health session; third — ISS pending a hearing plus a citation and a Saturday session.

- Alcohol (code 9): the committee decided to keep alcohol at Level 3 but to spell out consequences similar to tobacco: first offense 1–3 days ISS plus a health/education session; second offense mandatory suspension pending a hearing. Members discussed adding restorative or character-building options but noted legal and enforcement constraints.

- Pocket knives (codes 78 and 110): committee members recommended distinguishing intent. A pocket knife with a blade under 2.5 inches and no intent remains treated less severely, but the committee agreed that a pocket knife brought with intent to harm should be elevated to Level 4 (OSS pending hearing). Given other matrix changes, members also voted to raise the classification for no-intent small pocket knives to reflect the revised Level 2 consequences.

- Fighting (code 91): the committee approved classifying fights as Level 3 or Level 4 depending on severity and adult intervention: if students stop when adults tell them to stop, it remains Level 3; if students continue or an adult is injured, it escalates to Level 4. Bus incidents retain stricter consequences, typically Level 4, because of the increased safety risk.

What the committee said: Chairperson Deborah Jones called each motion and presided over voice votes. Mister Holmes said staff will update the matrix wording to replace "level" with "offense" and to make the OSS/hearing language clearer on the matrix itself so administrators and schools have consistent guidance.

Numbers and context: staff distributed on-the-day statistics showing alcohol possession/usage incidents were rare in their sample (one cited incident among roughly 4,689 referrals reported that day), while vaping and tobacco referrals were higher (vaping: 58 last year, 33 to date this year; tobacco: 10 last year, 6 to date).

Next steps and implementation: the committee instructed staff to incorporate the adopted wording changes into the matrix document for publication and to ensure a clear footnote or caveat references the state statute that requires a hearing on or after a student's third suspension. The committee adjourned after approving the set of changes.

The committee did not record detailed roll-call vote tallies in the transcript beyond voice votes; all motions taken in the meeting were approved by voice unless otherwise noted.