The Peoria District 150 school board gets a report on discipline through the first nine weeks of the school year, and one board member doesn't like what he sees.

The number of suspensions are up from the same period last year in a few schools – but especially at Lincoln Middle School and Manual Academy. There are already nearly 100 more cases at Manual and nearly 70 and Lincoln.

But, Director of Student Affairs Bill Salzman says in the case of Lincoln the number is a bit skewed by around 25 students who have been suspended a second or third time. That has board member Rick Cloyd reacting, “It raises the question why they're still in that school to me. I am absolutely appalled at these behavioral problems.”

“This disruption that's caused to the students who want to be their and do their job and learn by one or two student who can't get it right and won't behave is absolutely atrocious,” says Cloyd, “and we've got to get that fixed.”

Superintendent Grenita Lathan continues to say the responsibility for straightening out discipline begins at home. “Repeat offenders will be repeat offenders whether they are at Lincoln, Manual or Woodruff. We have to decide as a district if we are going to hold students and parent accountable for their behavior.” says Lathan.

Once students have had a first chance or second chance or maybe even your third chance and still not getting it right, what are we going to do as a district so teachers can teach?”

Salzman says there were 204 instances of fights so far. But, a fair comparison to last year cannot be made because the categorizing of some actions have been revised this year.

And, Salzman says, there has been an increased number of knives brought into schools especially in the lower grades. But, according to Salzman, “Some of the grade school students did not realize they had those knives in their book bags. I know of two of them who didn't.”

“Their mother told us how the knives got in there....a brother.”