GUILFORD COUNTY N.C. -- Some parents are expressing concerns about a possible change in the suspension policies at Guilford County Schools.

The proposed change would allow all short term suspensions to have a formal appeals process, where the school support officer and superintendent or her designee have the final approval for suspension.

Some claim that this policy change takes the power to suspend a student away from the school's principal or assistant principal.

“Now you have some who's not familiar with the circumstance, doesn't know how many times that child has been dealt with. The principal knows that, school personnel on the ground know that. The superintendent sitting in ivory towers don't,” said parent, Marc Ridgill.

Guilford County school officials said regardless of what decision the Board of Education makes, they're still going to be very focused on having a safe and orderly learning environment at all 125 schools in the system.

The GCS school board plans to vote on changes to the current student discipline policy at their next meeting on November 12 at 6 p.m.