Rochester School Board Reverses Student Suspension

The Rochester School Board held an emergency meeting January 19. According to minutes of the meeting supplied to the Herald, the meeting was attended by board members Tim Crowley, Barb Dehart, Tim Pratt and Becky Donnet; WNWSU Supt. Tim Mock, Rochester Principal Bob Gray and athletic director George Moltz; as well as six members of the public, including two RHS student athletes.

The board entered executive session at 5:40 p.m. to conduct two student hearings, inviting each student and their representative(s) to their respective hearing times, and the superintendent and administrators to both hearings.

Upon leaving executive session at 10:40 p.m., the board voted on two separate motions, both made by Tim Crowley, to overturn the principal’s decision of January 18 to suspend the two students (identified in the minutes by their student ID numbers), one from the girls’ varsity basketball team and the other from the boys’ varsity basketball team, for the remainder of the season, with the motion to become valid following verification of the due process by the superintendent. The motions were seconded by Barb Dehart, with all in favor.

The meeting adjourned at 10:50 p.m.

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