| The Tampa schools are a member of the | | | | 2005-2006 school year. These resulted |
| Hillsborough County School District, in | | | | in: |
| which the Disciplinary Committee | | | | - 183 students expelled; |
| resides. The disciplinary panel deals | | | | - 660 recommended for change of school |
| with the troubled youth who commit | | | | placement; |
| serious offenses and policy violations | | | | - More than 400 were exceptional |
| at school. The panel imposes such | | | | education students, who legally cannot |
| measures as expulsion or reassignment to | | | | be expelled and were recommended for |
| another school. | | | | change of school placement; and |
| This past school year of 2005-2006 had | | | | - 113 received no expulsion or change of |
| the lowest number of referrals to this | | | | school placement. |
| disciplinary panel than any other since | | | | The panel also saw a drop in weapons |
| the 1998-1999 school year. | | | | referrals. In the 2004-2005 school |
| Tampa schools, along with the other | | | | years, there were 336 weapons offenses. |
| school districts, have been trying | | | | In 2005-2006, they received 311 weapons |
| harder to solve student problems | | | | referrals, of which 19 percent were |
| in-school, before making referrals to | | | | firearms. The surprising statistic is |
| the panel. This obviously has increased | | | | that more middle school students brought |
| the number of in-school suspensions over | | | | firearms to school than high school |
| previous years; however, the Tampa | | | | students, though this trend was seen in |
| schools believe their mission is to | | | | Pasco, Pinellas and Polk counties, as |
| teach children - and you cannot teach | | | | well. |
| those who are not attending school. | | | | Principal Katie Hoffman, of the Tampa |
| Tampa schools have cautioned their | | | | schools' Madison Middle School, believes |
| principals to be more patient and | | | | that the psychological development and |
| tolerant with problem students, when | | | | maturity level of this age group may |
| their offenses do not hold a danger to | | | | have something to do with the high |
| other students, educators and school | | | | statistics. She believes that children |
| employees. Additionally, Tampa schools | | | | at this age try to impress others at a |
| educators have been educating students | | | | higher rate than high school students, |
| more aggressively on the district's zero | | | | testing their limits and succumbing to |
| tolerance of violent acts and other | | | | peer pressure to prove themselves. |
| serious offenses, strongly stressing the | | | | Unfortunately for the Tampa schools, |
| consequences of such acts. | | | | their Chamberlain Senior High School had |
| The Hillsborough County School District | | | | the most overall referrals with 49. |
| has about 191,000 students, many of | | | | Tampa schools' Blake High School came in |
| which belong to the Tampa schools (the | | | | second with 40. The Tampa schools' also |
| county seat). In the 2004-2005 school | | | | led the way for elementary offense |
| year, 1,602 students were referred to | | | | referrals with five for Cahoon |
| the panel for hearings. Those referrals | | | | Elementary. |
| decreased to 1,369 students in the | | | | |