GEN: Fines

[Janet Jenkins <jjenkins@ISBE.STATE.IL.US>]

Hi Fellow LM_Netters,
        I've found the discussion on fine collection most interesting.
Apparently, many of you hold grade cards until fines are paid.  That's
illegal in Illinois.  My master's degree is in ed. admin. even though I'm a
working librarian.  When I took my school law class in 1991, my professor,
Dr. Larry Janes at Eastern Ill. U., told us no one has the right to tie
grades to discipline.  Keeping grade cards to punish a student for not
returning books or paying fines is a violation of the student's
"property" rights.  Can you believe it?  We have to give students credit for
school work missed during UNEXCUSED absences because giving them "zeros"
on assignments or tests they missed would be using "grades" to punish them.
Incredible, huh?
        Before I get tons of mail from my Illinois colleagues, let me say
that Dr. Janes said that the practice of holding report cards is done all
over the state.  He said "anything is legal until challenged in a court
of law, but if you happened to be challenged on this issue, you will lose
every time."
 
Janet Jenkins
Library Media Specialist
jjenkins@isbe.state.il.us
Robinson (IL) High School