Proposed Bill Would Allow Schools To Remove Criminal Students

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Apr 2, 2009 4:40PM

By a vote of 33-23, the Illinois State Senate approved a bill that would give schools more control over how to handle students with criminal records. The bill would allow schools to place such students in alternative schools. State Sen. Randy Hultgren, the bill's sponsor, said, "They realize that it is something that school districts aren't going to use lightly, because it is serious. But a forcible felony is serious, too." The impetus for the case is an incident at a Naperville Unit District 204 school where two boys allegedly sexually assaulted a third. When the victims' parents asked that the alleged attackers - who have been charged with felony criminal sexual abuse and criminal sexual assault - be moved to a different school, the school said it was out of their control. While this bill moves onto the state House, a similar bill, introduced State Rep. Darlene Senger, has already been introduced to the House but is under review. [Daily Herald]