Panel meets
Rep. Cloves Campbell Jr., D-16, listens during a hearing at the Capitol regarding race and school discipline.

Rep. Cloves Campbell Jr., D-16, convened an informal panel of lawmakers — nearly all Democrats — to back creation of a commission that could rule on school disciplinary actions.
Campbell has said that school officials often take harsher disciplinary actions against blacks and other minorities.
A bill, H2633, sponsored by Campbell would create a seven-member commission with the power to overturn disciplinary decisions made by a school district. Commission members would be appointed by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction’s Office.
But Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne spoke out against such a commission. At the June 13 meeting in a House hearing room, Horne told the panel that a disciplinary commission would undermine the efforts of teachers and administrators to enforce discipline.
“We cannot constantly reverse the decisions that teachers make,” Horne said.
Panelists, however, heard from a mother who said her son had been suspended from school for reasons of race.
Yishka Tramel said about 200 students gathered at a park in Tolleson last January, following rumors of a fight that circulated through Copper Canyon High School. Her son, Anthony Porter Jr., was reportedly seen with a group of black students, she said.
No fight broke out, but Tramel said she was told by school officials that Anthony, then a sophomore, received a nine-day suspension for being with an aggressive group.
“Why were the black students the aggressive group?” she asked.
Tramel said her son, who is black, had perfect attendance, was active in sports and had not been trouble before.
Lawmaker: Alternatives to expulsion should be explored
Campbell said students should be given alternatives to outright suspension or expulsion.
“There are a number of concerns that you are kicking them out of an environment that has a positive influence,” Campbell said.
Horne agreed there was no room for prejudice in dealing with students. He said his office would look into Tramel’s complaint, though he cautioned the panel that her version of events was only one side of the story.
About a dozen House Democrats showed up throughout the morning meeting, as well as Sen. Leah Landrum Taylor, D-16. At least one Republican, Rep. Sam Crump of District 6, sat in also.
The panel had no legislative authority and took no action. H2633 failed to clear its assigned committees and appears unlikely to receive a floor vote.