In the article, "School Discipline Study Raises Fresh Questions," Alan Schwarz explains some startling results of a comprehensive study concerning discipline rates in Texas middle and high school and their correlation to juvenile detention rates late in life. While the fact that there is a connection will be of no surprise to any education, the rate at which students are now experiencing suspension and high severity discipline is astoundingly high. Nearly sixty percent of all students in Texas throughout the study experienced some high level discipline that was ascribed to their personal records. To demonstrate the problem, one educator was quoted as having to deal with an "eighth grader who swore at teachers, threw books and pencils."
Now, I am certain that my counterparts in Baltimore are more than familiar with a few (or maybe even many) students who swear at teacher and throw something now and then. And, there is no debating that discipline remains a problem for many urban schools, and is becoming a growing problem for many suburban schools as well. The discussion in this article revolves around how suspensions and other activities by the schools are possible culprits for this growing problem. However, it also hints at a more serious possibility. The stigma once associated with suspension, expulsion or other serious disciplinary activity seems to be dissipating from main stream society. As these activities become more common place, they have almost become expected as a right of passage, thereby decreasing their effectiveness. In short, the problem may be two-fold: the overuse of these practices, and their acceptance within mainstream American society. In my opinion, suspensions can and do still work, but they should be used lightly after all other alternatives are exhausted. This increases their severity, and hopefully their effectiveness.
No comments:
Post a Comment