Morpheus
March 16th, 2005, 01:15 PM
http://co.putnam.in.us/Probation/services.htm
Putnam County Services Available to Juveniles Served by the Probation Department
G.R.A.S.P.
Generating Responsibility through and Alternative Suspension Program. GRASP is a program offered through Putnam County Community Corrections for children that have been suspended from school for a chargeable offense. This is a voluntary program offered to juveniles and parents in lieu of prosecution. If a child completes the GRASP program no charges are filed. If they do not complete the program they may not return to school and information is submitted to the prosecutor for the possibility of charges of truancy being filed. http://www.iclu.org/legal/current.asp
From ICLU website:
Students', Childrens' and Parents' Rights
In re Cree
(Indiana Court of Appeals)
This case challenges the constitutionality and legality of a program whereby students who are suspended have a Motion of Emergency Temporary Detention filed agaisnt them in Juvenile Court. Nothing is served on the child or parents. Instead, they receive an Order on Detention Hearing (without there being a hearing) ordering the child to attend an out of school program (GRASP) during the pendency of their suspension. The Order is stamped by the Judge but appears to be filled out by community corrections personnel when the student shows up for the GRASP program. We argue that this violates the Constitution and the Indiana law.
ATTORNEY(s): Jacquelyn Bowie-Suess I know that programs like this are used throughout Indiana. I would guess that we are not the only state that does. On the surface the program sounds like a good alternative. The actual use of it is highly problematic.
In my county the court has ordered that any child suspended from school for two or more days be required to attend Generating Responsibility through an Alternative Suspension Program (GRASP). These programs are run by county corrections offices (prison system). Children are sent at the discretion of their principal. Parents are told that if they refuse to allow it they will be turned in for contempt of court. Intake is done at the County Courthouse by an administrator of the program. Parents and children are told to sign and initial several documents after they have been explained. They are told that if they refuse signature their child will not be accepted and they will be turned in for contempt of court. These documents include waiving privacy rights so that all the information can be shared with the school, prosecutors office, court and all area law enforcement agencies.
The parents then take their children to the facility where GRASP is located. It is a classroom. The children are told to remove their shoes, turn them upside-down and bang them together. Then they are given a hands-off search. Pulling out pockets, showing waistline and the like. They are in the classroom 3 1/2 hours, with one restroom break in the middle, before noon lunch. No talking, turning heads, leaning on arm or asking any question not pertinent to their lessons that had been sent from their school. After lunch they are taken out to do such community service as cleaning alongside highways. One example is they were taken to a horse farm and used to clean horse stalls, move hay and paint.
This may not be too shocking yet. It is when the actual reasons for suspension are discussed that it gets interesting. My son was sent for bringing rubber bands to school (being disruptive). (We only allowed it because the punishment had already been shared with him by school administrators and we did not want him to think that Mom & Dad had "gotten him off".) One child in GRASP was there because he had brought a knife to school and threatened another with it, (it might make sense here). Another was there because he brought a toothpick to school, and while engaging in horseplay with a friend he stuck him in the leg. The other kid wasn't mad, just bleeding a little. One young lady was there for arguing with her bus driver.
According to the Putnam County website above, GRASP is intended for students suspended for chargable offenses. The schools are using it for every minor infraction. C'mon, a student doesn't even deserve suspension for bringing rubber bands to school. I'd suggest spanking his butt, but that won't happen at school these days. But an in school suspension would make sense. Records are generated with courts, prosecutors offices and law enforcement agencies for unchargeable offenses at the whim of a school principal.
What ever happened to due process? The ICLU has filed petitions against the GRASP programs that is now in the Indiana Court of Appeals, but it continues. How about in your state?
Putnam County Services Available to Juveniles Served by the Probation Department
G.R.A.S.P.
Generating Responsibility through and Alternative Suspension Program. GRASP is a program offered through Putnam County Community Corrections for children that have been suspended from school for a chargeable offense. This is a voluntary program offered to juveniles and parents in lieu of prosecution. If a child completes the GRASP program no charges are filed. If they do not complete the program they may not return to school and information is submitted to the prosecutor for the possibility of charges of truancy being filed. http://www.iclu.org/legal/current.asp
From ICLU website:
Students', Childrens' and Parents' Rights
In re Cree
(Indiana Court of Appeals)
This case challenges the constitutionality and legality of a program whereby students who are suspended have a Motion of Emergency Temporary Detention filed agaisnt them in Juvenile Court. Nothing is served on the child or parents. Instead, they receive an Order on Detention Hearing (without there being a hearing) ordering the child to attend an out of school program (GRASP) during the pendency of their suspension. The Order is stamped by the Judge but appears to be filled out by community corrections personnel when the student shows up for the GRASP program. We argue that this violates the Constitution and the Indiana law.
ATTORNEY(s): Jacquelyn Bowie-Suess I know that programs like this are used throughout Indiana. I would guess that we are not the only state that does. On the surface the program sounds like a good alternative. The actual use of it is highly problematic.
In my county the court has ordered that any child suspended from school for two or more days be required to attend Generating Responsibility through an Alternative Suspension Program (GRASP). These programs are run by county corrections offices (prison system). Children are sent at the discretion of their principal. Parents are told that if they refuse to allow it they will be turned in for contempt of court. Intake is done at the County Courthouse by an administrator of the program. Parents and children are told to sign and initial several documents after they have been explained. They are told that if they refuse signature their child will not be accepted and they will be turned in for contempt of court. These documents include waiving privacy rights so that all the information can be shared with the school, prosecutors office, court and all area law enforcement agencies.
The parents then take their children to the facility where GRASP is located. It is a classroom. The children are told to remove their shoes, turn them upside-down and bang them together. Then they are given a hands-off search. Pulling out pockets, showing waistline and the like. They are in the classroom 3 1/2 hours, with one restroom break in the middle, before noon lunch. No talking, turning heads, leaning on arm or asking any question not pertinent to their lessons that had been sent from their school. After lunch they are taken out to do such community service as cleaning alongside highways. One example is they were taken to a horse farm and used to clean horse stalls, move hay and paint.
This may not be too shocking yet. It is when the actual reasons for suspension are discussed that it gets interesting. My son was sent for bringing rubber bands to school (being disruptive). (We only allowed it because the punishment had already been shared with him by school administrators and we did not want him to think that Mom & Dad had "gotten him off".) One child in GRASP was there because he had brought a knife to school and threatened another with it, (it might make sense here). Another was there because he brought a toothpick to school, and while engaging in horseplay with a friend he stuck him in the leg. The other kid wasn't mad, just bleeding a little. One young lady was there for arguing with her bus driver.
According to the Putnam County website above, GRASP is intended for students suspended for chargable offenses. The schools are using it for every minor infraction. C'mon, a student doesn't even deserve suspension for bringing rubber bands to school. I'd suggest spanking his butt, but that won't happen at school these days. But an in school suspension would make sense. Records are generated with courts, prosecutors offices and law enforcement agencies for unchargeable offenses at the whim of a school principal.
What ever happened to due process? The ICLU has filed petitions against the GRASP programs that is now in the Indiana Court of Appeals, but it continues. How about in your state?