Julie Kaputa opened up about her unusual suspension on first day of her high school.
According to The Independent, a high school student in upstate New York was suspended on first day for brining a cup of coffee to the class.
Kaputa, a senior at Beaver River Central School in Beaver Falls, on her first day of the high school entered in the class holding a cup of coffee, not knowing about the rules regarding outside food or drinks.
The school has a rule against outside food or drinks that had been added to the code of conduct over the summer break.
Julie Kaputa breaks silence
The cup of coffee then become a reason of her suspension on her very first day. The high school student later revealed how her teacher asked her to throw the coffee.
She told WWNY, “I walked in; I had my coffee with me. I got to my first period class, and my teacher said, ‘I’m either going to need you to dump that out or consume it on the spot or go down to the office.’”
Kaputa received an in-school suspension for the violation. The district had added the policy against outside food and drinks to this year’s code of conduct.
However, Kaputa and her family say the rule she violated is not actually valid.
Julie’s mother, MaryAnne Kaputa, told the outlet, “She said, ‘It says there’s supposed to be a public hearing. When was that? We never knew about it. Did they announce it?’ And I said, ‘I don’t know, look.’ And we couldn’t find one.”
High school student calls for ‘transparency’
Kaputa said she isn’t upset with the district, and that her suspension won’t be on her permanent record. Still, she is pushing for greater transparency within the school district.
She said, “There was no public hearing to discuss it. Transparency in government is a big thing that I care about a lot, and it just kind of struck me as odd that there wasn’t a public hearing.”
Superintendent Todd Green released a statement on September 10, explaining that the school district’s monthly board meeting in August was considered a public hearing.
However, he admitted that many may not have been aware of the event.
