A bill making schools off-limits to violent convicted criminals would affect the state’s alternative high schools.

And in a story in today’s Times-News in Twin Falls, Statehouse reporter Melissa Davlin spoke to an alternative high school principal, Lauri Heward of Burley’s Cassia High School.

Heward says each student’s history is considered before an enrollment decision is made, and the school would not enroll a violent student.

“If that door was shut, then what would we do? What would they do?” Heward, a 15-year veteran of the school, told Davlin. “I just feel they need to have faith in our school board and our principals and our counselors.”

Senate Bill 1056 would provide schools little latitude. School boards would not be allowed to admit a student who was convicted of a violent offense and sentenced for more than a year.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Lee Heider, R-Twin Falls, was introduced in the Senate Education Committee last week.

Click here for my story and my previous blog post on SB 1056.