The Iowa House has sent the Senate a bill that would set a statewide policy for disciplining disruptive and violent students in public K-through-12 schools.

It would require an in-school suspension and a counseling session after the first two incidents, but a third episode of violent or disruptive behavior would require the school to consider transferring the student to another class or learning environment. The bill also sets up a process for educators to report incidents of classroom violence and destruction of school property to the State Ombudsman for investigation.

“This was not an issue that was on my radar at all when we came into session. This issue sought us out and we hear from individuals who are teaching in our public schools who are extremely concerned or they are being hit and they are being attacked,” Representative Skyler Wheeler, a Republican from Hull who’s chairman of the House Education Committee, said during House debate this week. “We cannot just stand idly by and allow that to happen.”

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