Parents could gain access to school discipline evidence under proposed bill

By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributor
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Illinois lawmakers are weighing legislation that would require public schools to share all evidence used to suspend or expel a student with that student’s parents or guardians before a disciplinary hearing.

Senate Bill 2876, sponsored by Sen. Terri Bryant, R-Murphysboro, addresses what she calls a growing problem of parents being denied access to evidence used in disciplining their children. Bryant said the issue came to her attention after learning that several grade school students had been suspended based on video evidence that their parents were not allowed to see.

“In one case, practically the whole school was able to view the video,” Bryant told TCS. “Teachers, student workers and even students saw it. But when the parents asked to see what was being used against their child, they were denied.”

According to Bryant, the incident involved students shadowboxing in a school gym. While several students were involved, only some were disciplined after one student was struck. The video was widely circulated within the school community, she said, but parents were told they could not view it due to privacy concerns involving other students.

“That’s when I started asking around and found out this happens fairly frequently,” Bryant said. “A student is suspended, there’s video or other evidence, and parents are told they can’t see it.”

Under SB 2876, if a school district relies on video or other evidence to support a suspension or expulsion, parents or guardians would be permitted to review that evidence before a disciplinary hearing. While the bill was prompted by video footage, Bryant said the proposal applies broadly to all forms of evidence, including written statements or other materials collected by a school.

“This isn’t just about video,” she said. “Whatever is being used to discipline a student, parents should be allowed to see it.”

Bryant emphasized that the bill does not require schools to provide copies of evidence, but rather to allow parents to view it in a controlled setting. She said that distinction is meant to address concerns that sensitive material could be shared publicly or posted on social media.

“Access doesn’t mean handing over copies,” Bryant said. “In the cases brought to my attention, parents weren’t even allowed to view the evidence at all.

The senator acknowledged that school administrators may push back on the proposal, citing student privacy concerns and logistical challenges, particularly in larger, urban districts. She said the bill is likely to be amended as lawmakers and stakeholders work through those issues.

“I understand privacy issues,” Bryant said. “I also understand there may need to be adjustments depending on the size and resources of a school district. But parents have a right to see what is being used to support disciplinary action against their children.”

Bryant said she has generally been supportive of schools and administrators, noting that disciplinary authority has shifted over time.

“I think the pendulum has swung so far in one direction that we’re sometimes not disciplining students who deserve it,” she said. “At the same time, when a student may not deserve suspension, parents should be able to verify whether the accusations are true.”