Little Rock School Board upholds year-long expulsions after student hearings

The Little Rock School Board on May 5, 2026, heard testimony and reviewed evidence in multiple student expulsion hearings and voted to accept the superintendent's recommendations to expel five students for a full calendar year, 05/06/2026 through 05/05/2027.

The board’s attorney and hearing officer, David Kazea, opened the proceedings and described the hearing process, saying administration would present evidence and witnesses and that students or families could make statements and be questioned. Administration presented separate cases: an on-campus physical altercation involving school resource officers and a later discovery of mace (students T H and S H); an allegation a student displayed a handgun on campus (JP); a matter where the student’s family requested a closed hearing (LJ); and a middle-school mace discharge (LR).

Administration witnesses described the incidents. Will Douthart, dean of students at Southwest High School, said surveillance and staff accounts show a physical altercation involving SROs and that “that’s when they found the mace on [the student].” Christie Strong, principal of Hamilton Learning Academy, described the middle-school incident: the sprayed student experienced immediate eye and skin irritation and was cited by LRPD; Strong provided a police incident number, 26‑045780. Doctor Frankie James, assistant principal at Central High School, summarized the JP matter and said weapon possession and brandishing are treated as a level‑6 expellable offense under district code.

Family members questioned administration’s account in some hearings and asked to view video evidence. A family representative alleged that an officer planted mace on a student, saying, “Officer Martin was the one that planted the mace on T H.” Administration responded that an earlier search had not located mace and that the item was found when officers pinned the students down later in the day.

Board members pressed administration on evidence and process, including whether the police had completed forensic steps and whether students had Individualized Education Programs or 504 plans. Administration said the records packet included prior disciplinary history, attendance records and the security footage referenced in police reports; administrators also noted expelled students are offered district distance‑learning and ALE options during the expulsion period.

Director Bali was the noted dissent in at least one vote and explained her position on the record: “I’m voting against it because we’re at the end of our school year, and I think that it is very harmful to say that a kid cannot be there for a whole calendar school year.” The board nevertheless carried motions to accept the superintendent’s recommendations on each contested file after deliberation and, where requested, executive‑session consideration.

Votes at a glance:
• Student s h (case 376845): motion to accept superintendent recommendation and expel for one year — motion passed (recorded tally: 4 yes, 1 no; Director Bali recorded as opposing).
• Student t h (case 381812): motion to accept superintendent recommendation and expel for one year — motion passed.
• Student JP (case 413513): administration presented a police report alleging a student displayed a handgun on campus; motion to expel for one year — motion passed.
• Student LJ (case 380002): parent requested closed hearing; administration proceeded in the parent’s absence; motion to expel for one year — motion passed (unanimous recorded).
• Student LR (case 412236): Hamilton principal reported a mace discharge on campus and an LRPD citation (incident 26‑045780); motion to expel for one year — motion passed.

The board documented that the district’s policy routes expelled students to distance‑learning and alternative programs while the expulsions are in effect. The meeting concluded after the board completed votes and adjourned.

What’s next: the expulsions are effective 05/06/2026 through 05/05/2027 as recorded in the decision pages; the district said educational services will be provided through its distance‑learning/ALE platforms during the expulsion period. Any further criminal investigations or court outcomes are separate from the district’s disciplinary actions and were described by administrators as continuing outside the board’s proceedings.