Pubdate: Tue, 12 Sep 2006
Source: Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)
Copyright: 2006 The Commercial Appeal
Contact:  http://www.commercialappeal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/95
Author: Dakarai I. Aarons
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

751 OFFENSES RECORDED IN CITY SCHOOLS LAST YEAR

Illegal drug possession was the most common offense recorded in  
Memphis City Schools last year, according to the district's behavior  
data.

Possession accounted for a significant portion of the 751 reported  
incidents.

Schools reported incidents under six categories, including possession  
of firearms, battery against teachers or staff, possession of weapons  
other than firearms and possession of alcohol.

Northside High School led the way with 42 total incidents reported in  
2005-06. Of those, 30 incidents were drug related.

High schools reported the most incidents, a fact reflected in 51 of  
the 60 new campus monitors being sent to high schools.

District officials cross-referenced last year's behavior data with  
initial incident numbers from the first few weeks of school to make  
the decision about where to put the new monitors, said chief academic  
officer Alfred Hall.

Last school year was the first time the district collected such  
extensive records on violations as part of its Blue Ribbon behavior  
initiative.

"Our reporting is better now than ever before," he said. "The power  
of the information we have now puts us in a place to isolate areas of  
major incidents and put effective strategies in place."

Hall said the numbers don't provide a complete picture of what a  
school may look like today, but are a valuable reference in tailoring  
intervention programs to a school's specific needs.

"We have the expectation that kind of behavior is not supported and  
will not be tolerated in Memphis City Schools," he said. "We think  
any incident is one too many."
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