Rep. Hovey: Dems Fail to Give Unfunded Mandate Relief on In-School Suspensions

During last night’s session of the House of Representatives, Representative DebraLee Hovey (R-112) and House Republicans offered an amendment to municipal unfunded mandate relief legislation. The measure would have given significant relief to local school districts which are currently struggling to balance the needs of educating children and harsh budget realities.

Under current law, the state is requiring suspended students to serve their suspensions in school instead of off premises effective July of 2010. The amendment offered by Rep. Hovey and Republicans would postpone that requirement from taking effect until 2012.

“I can understand the policy position that a student who is suspended should not get free time off from school and that a school suspension should be viewed as punishment, not a vacation,” said Rep. Hovey. “However, making that policy a reality has real and substantial costs to school districts as they reallocate resources and school personnel. With times as lean as these some school districts are being faced with laying off teachers and personnel. Is an in-school suspension policy important enough to potentially lose teachers across the state over? Is it important enough to reallocate resources that can be used to educate children for? I don’t think it is.”

The amendment was rejected on a party-line by majority Democrats in the House.

“I think a vote like this is sobering,” said Rep. Hovey. “It really shows you where the majority’s priorities are.

This session of the Connecticut General Assembly concludes at midnight on Wednesday May 5th.