West Central Reporter

Hamilton Community Consolidated School District 328 reported 31 suspensions or expulsions for the 2021-22 school year, according to the latest student discipline report by the Illinois State Board of Education.

The district removed three students to alternative settings instead of suspending or expelling them. This equates to less than one percent of the 551 students enrolled.

Students were expelled for five incidents with alcohol and tobacco, one incident with a dangerous weapon, other than a firearm.

The district reported that most in-school suspensions were given for unspecified reasons, of which there were 18. There was one incident of tobacco. For 17 incidents, students were suspended for one to two days.

Boy students received 25 suspensions, while six girls were suspended.

There were 31 high school students suspended in 2021-22 school year.

The district reported that most out-of-school suspensions were given for unspecified reasons, of which there were seven. There were four incidents of tobacco. For five incidents, students were suspended for one to two days.

Illinois ranks as the 5th state in terms of the overall number of schools and student enrollment among all states.

Illinois lawmakers enacted laws in 2015 to restrict schools from disciplining a disproportionate number of Black and minority students out of school and into the criminal justice system, often for minor misbehavior.

	In-school Suspension	Out-of-school Suspension
Alcohol	0	0
Violence with injury	0	0
Violence without injury	0	0
Drug offenses	0	0
Firearm	0	0
Other dangerous weapons	0	1
Tobacco	1	4
Other reason	18	7
Total	19	12

	In-school Suspension	Out-of-school Suspension
One day or less	0	0
1-2 days	17	5
2-3 days	2	2
3-4 days	0	2
4-10 days	0	3
More than 10 days	0	0