This article by Liz Bowie of the Baltimore Sun discusses a regulation on suspensions in public schools, which was proposed by the state board. This action follows the recent suicide of a student in Virginia who was out on a long suspension. While they do not believe the suspension is the cause of the suicide, they do believe students are out of school for too much time when suspended. The regulation would limit the amount of time a student is out of school, while appealing a suspension or an expulsion. The school districts would like the discipline policy to be left up to them rather than have the state regulate the policies.
Being a Baltimore City teacher I do not agree that discipline policies should be regulated. In the City we have alternative schools that students attend while on long-term suspension or expulsion. I believe there is a need for long-term suspension and expulsion for certain offenses that endanger the safety of students and teachers. I also believe it is a great that the City is able to have alternative schools while children are out on long-term suspension or expulsion. When a student is issued a long-term suspension there is usually a reason and that student should not be allowed back until their suspension is over, or their appeal is complete. If the time out of school is regulated everyone will appeal their suspension so the can return to school earlier. In most cases the students should not be able to return until their suspension is complete.
Source: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-student-discipline-20110322,0,6500829.story
2 comments:
I certainly agree that the discipline policy should not be regulated by the state; however, I do think that the state board’s concerns are valid. While long-term suspensions and expulsions are needed in schools – especially when the safety of other students is at risk – I also believe that schools should revisit the workings of their in-school suspension system and potentially create long-term –in-school suspensions. This way, schools could monitor the behavior of the student while also separating him or her from other students. This would have the added bonus preventing the student from falling behind in his or her studies.
When students are put on long-term suspensions they are often left to their own devices, none of which include studying or completing school work. As a result, these students fall further behind when they return to school, which spawns frustration and could eventually lead to the same poor behavior and potentially yet another suspension.
For some students, a long-term suspension is not a punishment at all. But requiring that they stay in the same room all day and work would certainly be considered a punishment.
Finally, if we believe that our schools truly are places of education, then expelling a student should be a last result. I am reminded of a moment from John Irving’s A Prayer for Owen Meany when a student was about to be expelled from a prestigious high school for killing cats. Owen wrote in the school newspaper, “IF THIS IS A PLACE WHERE WE THINK THE TEACHING IS SO GREAT, WHY NOT TEACH THE KID THAT KILLING CATS IS ‘SICK’ – WHY THROW HIM OUT?” I acknowledge that this is perhaps an idealistic view and that we do not inhabit nor teach in a perfect world, but if students long-term suspensions are not having any positive effect on students and are in fact having a negative impact, then this punishment should be reconsidered.
I currently teach at a transformational school for over-aged and under-credited students. The behavior problems are constant and varied, and the strategies that many teachers/administrators typically use to combat those behaviors don't always work with my students. When a student has been in and out of juvenile services, when a young person does not have solid role models at home, and when a student is not at school frequently enough to become accustomed to consistent management systems, the school needs to be creative with management. A good discipline system recognizes what students need and value, and not all populations need and value the same things.
I think schools need the creativity to develop their own discipline systems. However, I think it's important for schools to look at what great schools are doing to manage their students. These high-performing schools should spread awareness of their strategies to assist those who are struggling. Other schools can pick and choose what they want in order to create a system that works for them.
Those who typically design regulations do not understand all of the complexities and nuances of a classroom environment. I do see the benefit of having a uniform policy, especially when there is a good deal of mobility of students beween schools (usually the students with more behavior problems). However, when a school is forced to do something there is less buy-in. If a school doesn't buy-in to a set of standards - if they don't believe in them - the school will have a hard time maintaining consistency.
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