There are some recommendations for expulsion that make sense: student safety has been compromised, someone brought weapons to campus, maybe someone has hit their entrepreneurial stride and expanded their drug sale empire in the new all gender restroom.

And then there are expulsion recs like the one I made today.

I have a student with an IEP who we are academically serving well at my site. But there is no qualifier that explains his current penchant for masturbating in various public locations on campus. Usually over the pants, but to completion.

My Director of Pupil Services explained to the family today that this activity is not a mandatory recommendation for expulsion. As one of my favorite teachers asked the other day: “If public masturbation isn’t enough to get you expelled, what is?”

To be clear: I adore this kid and his family. His older sibling cracks me up every time I see them in the halls and another older sibling is one of the sweetest kids I’ve ever met. Mom is doing everything she can to curb this behavior. And yet, there “it” is. And I can’t have “it” happen again on campus- in view of students and potentially caught by a fourth staff member.

But it still sucks and I will miss seeing him (walking) in the halls and (running) on the field.