Huntsville school leaders vote on changes for upcoming school year

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - It was the first day back for teachers, faculty, and staff with Huntsville City Schools. It was also a busy night for school leaders who officially voted to sell the district’s central office and to change discipline rules in schools.

Board members wanted to get the sale of the old property out of the way to start the construction conversation for the new central office, which will be located on 14 acres of land on North Memorial Parkway. A developer now has the green light to purchase Huntsville City Schools’ central office for $2.9 million. It will open the door to multi and single-family units.

The bulk of tonight’s meeting focused on updating the discipline guidelines. Starting with vape products on campus.

“We updated the term for a prohibited drug and added if the vape contains THC or any Delta version, then it will be classified as a prohibited drug.”

District leaders also added a new behavioral problem to the list that reared its ugly head last school year.

“Spying or inappropriately observing an individual in the bathroom. Examples, peering over a bathroom stall to spy on a student using the restroom. This was something that needed to be addressed due to this taking place a lot of times,” said Executive Director of Prevention and support services Melissa Veasy-Lindsey.

And after a major security scare back in February, where a 4th-grade student at Sonnie Hereford Elementary shot himself in the foot with a gun he brought into the school, school leaders wanted to clarify punishment for elementary school students.

“According to the new behavioral guide learning, that student will be suspended. That student will have to go to the restorative panel meeting. The parents will have a chance to speak, the student will have a chance to speak about what has taken place.”

Board members received several complaints following the incident.

“ I received phone calls from upset parents, but because it’s elementary, and following the consent order and the BLG we can not expel them,” said Huntsville City Schools Board member Michelle Watkins.

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