From the Washington Post:
The apparent suicide of a 15-year-old high school football player in Fairfax County has sparked concern about the school district’s disciplinary policies, which critics say are overly punitive and often debilitating for students.
The concerns come as students at W.T. Woodson High School mourn the loss of Nick Stuban, a former sophomore running back on the junior varsity team. Football players wore their homecoming jerseys in memory of the well-liked teen Friday, and many other students wore black.
Nick’s death followed a disciplinary action that some parents and school activists considered unnecessarily harsh. A school spokesman defended the district’s policies as appropriate and in line with state law.
The teen was suspended and referred for expulsion last fall after an incident that his family and school officials declined to disclose. A hearing was held, and he was allowed to return to class in early January. At that point, he had been reassigned to Fairfax High School.
