Every school in New York City will be required by next September to have a comprehensive disciplinary code that lists what the school considers to be misbehavior and what punishment teachers and administrators can administer.
The codes will be based on a model that will be developed by the city’s board of education, according to Mayor Edward I. Koch and Chancellor Frank J. Macchiarola.
Mr. Koch appointed a special committee last year to develop ways to combat what he called an “alarming” increase in violent incidents in the schools.
Some schools in New York already have codes for dealing with misbehavior, but there is often confusion about which acts require punishment, according to Thomas K. Minter, the deputy schools chancellor and head of the committee.
Among the acts covered by the code will be the use of offensive language, vandalism, gambling, drunkenness, and physical attacks. The city will suggest such sanctions as counseling or cleanup work in the school.
Principals and parent groups will develop the codes for the schools. Students will participate in drafting codes for some schools.
The committee also suggested the testing of a closed-circuit television monitoring system and sealing unused doors to prevent outsiders from entering school buildings.--ce
