Katy ISD may reconsider girl's punishment

More today on Shelby Sendelbach, the 12-year-old Katy junior high student who was shipped off to alternative school for writing a love message in marker on a gymnasium wall: The Katy ISD is now reconsidering its punishment. "I am looking at what happened and what options we have per state law and local policy," Katy Superintendent Alton Frailey told the Chronicle. "It is always my practice to follow the law and policy while looking out for what is in the best interest of the individual student and the district as a whole."

Sendelbach confessed to writing "I love Alex" in baby blue Sharpie on the wall and was assigned to alternative school for four months. Under district policy, graffiti is on par with making terroristic threats, drug possession and assault and is punishable as a felony. There's only one level of offenses more severe, and that includes murder, possession of firearms, aggravated or sexual assault and arson. Katy ISD officials said they were following state law with the alternative school assignment, but Frailey said he plans to talk with the school board next week to determine whether there's another course of action. Stu Sendelbach, Shelby's father, said he's encouraged by the way things are going: "He told me he will find out exactly what options they have legally and he hopes to be able to give us what we seek, which is little or no time in alternative school," Sendelbach said.

An interesting twist to the story: State Sen. Dan Patrick (R-Houston), who sits on the Senate Education Committee, said the school district might not have applied a 2005 law that lets districts have discretion in doling out punishment. Under the law, districts can consider a variety of factors in deciding whether to send a student to alternative school, which means the state law might not have required the punishment: "KISD is simply wrong to state that they are required by law to send this young lady to alternative school," Patrick said.

As for the mysterious Alex — 15-year-old Alex Mendoza, who met Shelby in the school cafeteria — he said he was "really shocked" by all the attention the incident has drawn. And though he said he was flattered by the graffiti, he advised Shelby not to do it again. Smart guy.