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March 28, 2000
Schoolissuesdiscussed at Sleepy Eye meetingBy FRITZ BUSCH Journal Staff Writer SLEEPY EYE -- Hundreds of students and parents and school officials attended a community meeting Monday to discuss discipline and safety issues. New Ulm attorney Dan Gislason acted as mediator at the meeting, which was held in the school cafeteria. The meeting stemmed from a somewhat spirited school board meeting last Thursday at which students and parents voiced concerns about unequal discipline and punishment action. Students told the board last week that eight students received death threats from the same student who is still in school, while another student was suspended for directing profanity at the principal. School board members said they were unaware of the death threats. Administrators said they began meeting with students about their concerns about three weeks ago, and they felt progress had been made. Students agreed. At the conclusion of Monday's community meeting, most participants seemed to feel better about the the issues that surfaced last week. Gislason said it was time to let the school board and administration analyze the issues and discuss progress later. A meeting with students is set for noon on April 11. The next school board meeting is April 13, and students' concerns will be on the agenda. Key issues defined during Monday's meeting included safety, consistent and equal discipline, data privacy, mutual respect, teacher and student input, and police action. At the start of the meeting, Gislason said he knew nothing about the subject but was sought out as a mediator in hopes of getting people to speak freely about school issues. "Nobody poisoned by mind about this," said Gislason. School Board member Marcia Marti said she felt the meeting was worthwhile and invited parents to call her. Early in the meeting, Gislason questioned sophomore and mock trial team member Brooke Augustin about the issues. Augustin said she had seen too many school rules violations happen without consequences. "Kids that used to not make trouble are (doing so) now because they can get away with it," said Augustin. She said untenured teachers told her they did not know how exactly how the school wanted them to deal with student discipline. Augustin also said that the lack of discussion about punishment and discipline issues, due to the Data Privacy Act, created rumors that were worse than the facts. Although it might be unpopular to many people in the current situation, data privacy protects people's privacy, which is a good thing, Gislason told the audience. Randy Jensen said he would like to hear from school administrators on the issues. "We feel something needs to be done now," said Kent Augustin, Brooke's father. "Assume there is no change. How do you deal with it?" asked Gislason. "We'll send our kids someplace else," said Kent Augustin. High School Principal Elia Bruggeman said she did not suspend a student just because of the profanity directed at her, as some students alleged. Students also must allow the court system to deal with law violations, she added. Students complained that the court system worked too slowly. When Bruggeman asked students and parents if the school should get metal detectors and video cameras, nobody responded. Bruggeman also said she needed to know immediately when violations of school rules happen. Bruggeman was not informed when the death threats took place, but an investigation of the incidents is under way, she said. Gislason said that death threats are crimes. Superintendent Jay Haugen said one of the first things he learned when he came to Sleepy Eye 3 1/2 years ago was that he doesn't have all the answers and looks into every issue that parents call him about. "In every instance, the punishment was proper," said Haugen. "But I can understand how some people thought it was unfair." Before the meeting began, Sleepy Eye Herald-Dispatch Editor Doreen Tyler announced that she objected to the meeting as a violation of the Minnesota Open Meeting Law. Minnesota Newspaper Association Attorney Mark Anfinson considered the meeting a violation because proper notice was not given of the date and time. Tyler referred to the Minnesota Supreme Court decision in the case of the St. Cloud newspapers vs. the Board of Education of St. Cloud Schools. School Board Chairman Reynold Dittbenner admitted the meeting was in violation, but he said the board had no choice because it wanted to schedule a meeting this week and Gislason's only open evening was Monday. Sleepy Eye attorney Pat Lowther said the meeting should not be a school board meeting and that the board should leave. Three school board members with children in school remained at the meeting and vocally contributed to it.
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