As Expected, Dedham School Committee Rescinds Police Agreement

The Dedham School Committee unanimously voted Wednesday to rescind a vote it took in March that called for changes in how the school department works with police on disciplining students.

"We had to bring it back first, now we can move it forward," School Committee chairman Mayanne Briggs said.

The original policy called for 12-month enforcement, as opposed to 10 months in the current plan, and for the policy to apply to students as young as sixth grade. The current policy only applies to Dedham High School students.

Committee members voted to break up the discipline for a student caught in the possession of drugs or alcohol and for a student caught in the presence of either. The current policy doesn't make that distinction.

But when brought in front of the Board of Selectmen for a vote in April, - primarily the extension to a 12-month policy.

Needing the selectmen's OK, that left the policy in limbo.

"I don't know if the 12 months is going to stay," Briggs said. "That was one of the biggest complaints that we heard."

The two committees, along with Superintendent June Doe and DPD Chief Michael d'Entremont now will hold sub-committee meetings to hammer out a new policy.

School officials had hoped for a new policy before the prom on June 7, but that doesn't seem likely to happen, Briggs said.

"I don't think we have time to do that," she said.