But others argue that the discipline applied can violate students' due-process rights by requiring automatic punishment regardless of circumstances. DMN Lancaster ISD Superintendent Bill Ward was criticized for being lenient when a school board trustee's son took a gun to school. It has redefined students as criminals with unfortunate consequences.
Many teachers say that the policies bring results.
Roy Kemble, president of the Classroom Teachers of Dallas, said there is flexibility for educators when applying the rules. The policies have become more confusing when the offenses go beyond guns and drugs, he said. If it means reducing disciplinary standards, then that would not be acceptable. Dianne Reed, an elementary teacher in Dallas and president of the Dallas chapter of the Association of Texas Professional Educators, said she has reservations about the ABA's position. The ABA's stance was prompted by a number of cases in which educators found the mandatory expulsions and suspensions were too harsh for relatively minor offenses.