The legal subcommittee recommends the earliest age of arrest for misdemeanor charges be 12, not 9. The subcommittee proposed a three step process - written warning, school mediation then arrest.
Deputy Attorney General Patricia Dailey Lewis says children often "don't get what they need" in the courts. Her committee also proposed schools investigate arrests before suspending students.
In another proposal, Red Clay superintendent Merv Daugherty, of the alternatives subcommittee, says "sticking to the lesson plan" keeps "kids engaged" and reduce discipline problems before the student breaks a rule.
The task force plans to file a final report Jan. 15.
