Currently, if a parent feels their child has been unfairly suspended, there are provisions in the Education Act that allow for an appeal of a suspension. The Act does not currently include an appeal process for expelled students. The proposed legislation would give parents and guardians the right to appeal an expulsion, as well as a suspension lasting between two and the maximum 20 days. Strict discipline schooling programs for expelled students Students who have been expelled from regular classes still need an education. To help these students continue their education, strict discipline schooling programs would be established under the proposed legislation.
Some boards already provide alternative programs for suspended and expelled students.
Over the next year, the Ministry of Education would provide funding to some existing programs and to various pilot projects to see which programs are most effective, so that an increased number of these programs will be available province-wide for expelled students by the fall of 2001. These programs would not only help to restore order in the regular classroom, but may reduce an expelled student's further involvement in criminal and disruptive behaviour. Programs for suspended students Not all school boards currently have programs for suspended students. The government would have authority to require all school boards to have programs or other supports for suspended students that enable them to return and succeed in the regular school program. Often, alternative programs help to reduce a student's further involvement in drug, alcohol and violence related incidents.