Bill would minimize pre-K suspensions in DC

WASHINGTON (AP) — A D.C. councilmember is sponsoring legislation to prohibit the city’s public schools from suspending or expelling pre-kindergarten students except in rare circumstances.

The legislation from Councilmember David Grosso follows a recent city report that found 181 3- and 4-year-olds received out-of-school suspensions in the 2012-13 school year.

The Washington Post reports (http://wapo.st/1nna5is ) that the proposal applies to both the city’s traditional and charter schools.

Advocates of the change say pre-kindergartners are being punished for behavior not necessarily inappropriate for their age, like temper tantrums and bathroom accidents.

The legislation is part of a broader examination of suspension policy. The same report found 10,000 of the District’s 80,000 students were suspended at least once in the 2012-13 school year.

Last year, Prince George’s County, Maryland, overhauled and relaxed its suspension policy.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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