There is ample research available in the education reform field that proves out of school suspensions are actually a very ineffective method of discipline; they lead to kids falling behind in school, increase their likelihood of further absence, and increase their likelihood to drop out of school entirely.
Opening this editorial, I expected to see the usual urban school statistic -- a reduction that is a big deal in an inner-city, but would seem like small potatoes to outsiders. Instead, I was surprised to read that Baltimore City reduced suspensions by 20% in the 2016-17 school year. However, this is still a great number of students being suspended, and being a largely minority student body, the national statistics of African American girls being 2-3x more likely to be suspended from school hold true in Baltimore.
The reduction in suspensions was to be expected, if you have been paying attention to new practices being tested in Baltimore; Baltimore City has recently made national headlines for their adoption of behavior management techniques such as mindfulness in meditation in the classroom and before and after school ; many schools have also adopted restorative justice practices through a citywide pilot with teacher training programs that specialize in restorative justice models.
It is clear Baltimore is on the right path with suspensions, and venturing outside of the box for the needs of their students. Let's hope they stay on this path!
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/how-mindfulness-practices-are-changing-an-inner-city-school/2016/11/13/7b4a274a-a833-11e6-ba59-a7d93165c6d4_story.html?utm_term=.d616476d969c
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bs-ed-school-suspensions-20171025-story.html
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3 comments:
Thanks for sharing this interesting information, Christie! I think suspensions are a symptom of a much larger problem. When you see a suspension rate as high as Baltimore City, it should send all sorts of signals that many things are not right. It’s great see that the rate is rapidly decreasing. When we talk about suspension data, I often wonder if the data is in occurrences or days. A student who has receives just one suspension (but the suspension lasts for 10-days) can be faced real challenges. 10 days is half of a month of instruction.
Here's some info about Maryland that I find fascinating in this discussion of suspensions: In the Maryland School Law Course, I learned that 10-days is a critical point of difference in suspensions. Students who are suspended for up to 10 days only have the rights to be notified, be given an opportunity to respond, and must be offered an explanation supporting the reason for the suspension. A principal can give a suspension of up to 10 days. If a student is suspended for more than 10 days, the student and their families have many more rights. For suspensions of more than 10 days, students and parents have the right to have written explanation and notice, a hearing, and they have the right to legal counsel. The superintendent has the authority to grant a suspension of longer than ten days, not a principal.
One last thought: I also think that teachers need support in their own mindfulness. If we only focus on the students need for mindfulness, we will never fix the problem of suspensions. Teachers should be held accountable for their actions, which lead to the suspension of a student.
Thank you for highlighting this topic! I can understand how teachers may feel that extreme misbehavior requires extreme disciplinary action. But techniques that remove students from direct instruction, such as suspension or even repeated detentions, seem counter-intuitive and lead me to many questions. How are students expected to keep up with their studies, and how are teachers expected to support students once they return? What are the parents’ responsibilities in all of this? The whole endeavor seems riddled with behavioral and academic frustrations from the start. Suspensions and extended detentions imply that certain students no longer “deserve” to be in school and that a public education is primarily suited for well-behaved students. The 4th and 5th grade students I have taught often apply a time-out strategy before their emotions become too overwhelming. They ask to move to a quiet seat to “take 2 to cool.” I appreciate their ability to manage their emotions, and I am glad that they are still in the classroom to benefit from classroom instruction.
I went to the 10/24 board meeting and they did a progress report on how the new discipline plan is going. It does seem like everyone on the board is taking the problem seriously and seeking to find new ways to connect with and support students. I'm actually going to touch on some of what they discussed in my own blog today!
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