Maryland House moves to curb suspensions, expulsions of young pupils

The House of Delegates approved legislation Thursday that would significantly curb the practice of suspending or expelling the youngest public school students without first taking other steps to improve their behavior.

The measure now goes to the state Senate, where a committee approved a similar bill Thursday.

Delegates voted 91-48 for the House measure, which bars the suspension or expulsion of prekindergarten, kindergarten, first and second grades students except in narrow circumstances — such as bringing a gun to school.

Students could be suspended for up to nine days in the House version — five in the Senate's — only if a mental health professional determines there is an "imminent threat of serious harm to other students or staff" that can't be addressed another way.

Read more: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-suspensions-expulsions-20170316-story.html