‘PSS violates board’s policy’

The Public School System’s acceptance of youths who have committed serious offenses or have been charged in court without final judgment rendered is in violation of the Board of Education’s policy and regulation.

This was according to board member Galvin Deleon Guerrero, who said that a specific PSS policy states that it cannot enroll students who have committed crimes or have been charged with serious offenses without a final court judgment on their cases.

“Our policy is clear that no student shall be enrolled at PSS if they committed or charged with serious offenses. But we are [still accepting these kinds of students]…” he told the board during yesterday’s meeting, citing a need to take the necessary steps to address the issue.

It was earlier found that PSS is home to many at-risk youths who are supposed to be housed at the juvenile detention center but who are mixed with the regular school population. This concern was raised by many parents as these students may influence or negatively affect other students.

Just recently, three students of Marianas High School who were charged with the murder of the school’s security guard were found to have “records” and were supposedly being held at the juvenile detention.

Yesterday, PSS legal counsels confirmed that PSS is not privy to information relating to “at-risk” youths, making the public schools unaware of the presence of these individuals in schools.

“Juvenile records are sealed, so we don’t know if they are convicted or not,” the system’s legal counsel told the board, adding that PSS remains committed in its mission to protect the interest of all children.

Unlike other states, the CNMI has no “alternative school” for at-risk youths, the reason why some court judgments allow them to enroll or return to PSS.

Board vice chair Herman T. Guerrero yesterday said that there’s a need to revisit the policy to accommodate the system’s need to access the “confidential information” relating to at-risk enrollees.

The board will ask the Legislature to consider PSS concerns on “at-risk” youths in passing the Juvenile Justice Act, which was passed last week by the House.

Saipan Tribune learned that PSS in the past hired a contractor to provide the education of youths at the detention facility. However, this was stopped due to still unknown factors.

To best guide and teach “at-risk” students, a memorandum of agreement must be signed between PSS and the Division of Youth Services, according to Education Commissioner Rita A. Sablan.