Lafayette Schools See Drop In Rule Violations

LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) — As the new school year gets underway, district officials are hoping to continue last year's trend toward fewer disciplinary incidents.

Between August 2013 and May 2014, the school system recorded 40,546 major incidents. Those can include a wide range of offenses, including repeated tardiness, fighting, disrupting class or bringing weapons to campus. The number of incidents was lower than in the two previous years.

Lafayette High Principal Patrick Leonard attributes the number of incidents to the large volume of students at the school. Lafayette High is the largest school in the parish.

Leonard tells The Advertiser the school also sees large numbers of students cutting class or having unexcused absences.