Chesterfield, Va. (WTVR) – A mother of a child at Elizabeth Davis Middle School says that the school is asking minors to sign binding disciplinary contracts, with parental guidance.
Have you ever heard of a “no contact contract”? Some children were recently sent home with such so-called restraining orders.
An employee at CBS 6 told us about the story. She says her child got one of these “no contact contracts,” and was told to sign it at her Chesterfield middle achool, without any parent present.
The form basically tells the child to avoid a named child, or face disciplinary action.
“To me it`s outrageous to have a minor sign something without a guardian or a parent present,” says parent Tomesha Mabry.
Mabry says her daughter gets along well with most of her classmates, except for one.
“And, it`s been from my understanding, picking on both sides--from what was told to me,” she said.
Mabry says two weeks ago, she went to the school and asked for help and that the assistant principal called her later that night.
“To say that they would work on resolving the situation. And the next thing I heard was the no contact contract,”, said Mabry.
By signing it, her daughter agreed to have no verbal or physical contact with the other student.
“I understand that completely, but the word “contract” is like a legally binding document,” Mabry said.
CBS 6 spoke with Chesterfield County school spokesperson, Shawn Smith.
He says several schools have used this student contract over several years, as a last resort. He says to get to that point several things have to have occurred: there have been multiple interactions between the students, the parents and the school staff.
Mabry says although the school did work with their daughter regarding the situation, they never called her to set up a meeting.
“I was actually waiting for a resolution, waiting for someone to contact me back with a resolution,” said Mabry.
On Tuesday afternoon, after writing the school principal, Mabry says the principal called her …with a change.
“She said it`s actually not a contract. That her and the assistant principal would have to work on re-wording it because it`s not a contract, and it`s not a legally binding document,” Mabry said.
Mabry says the school principal is meeting with her daughter tomorrow. She also said this is the first time the school principal has heard about her daughter’s situation.
