{"id":42898,"date":"2018-03-20T14:01:18","date_gmt":"2018-03-20T21:01:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/world.edu\/?p=42898"},"modified":"2018-03-20T14:01:18","modified_gmt":"2018-03-20T21:01:18","slug":"some-officials-want-to-ban-school-suspensions-heres-how-that-could-backfire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/world.edu\/some-officials-want-to-ban-school-suspensions-heres-how-that-could-backfire\/","title":{"rendered":"Some officials want to ban school suspensions \u2013 here\u2019s how that could backfire"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\nWhen it comes to school discipline, the fact that low-income and minority students are\u00a0more likely to get suspended<\/a>\u00a0than students who are white or more well off is\u00a0nothing new<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In an effort to turn things around, some education policymakers are beginning to take a critical look at the use of school suspensions.<\/p>\n

A recent example is\u00a0this proposed measure<\/a>\u00a0for the District of Columbia Public Schools.<\/p>\n

Among other things, the proposed measure would prohibit automatic suspensions. It would also prohibit suspension and expulsion for preschool through middle school students, except in cases of threatened or actual serious physical or emotional injury. High schools would be prohibited from suspending students for being absent or tardy, not wearing their uniforms and \u201cpurely behavioral\u201d incidents such as willful defiance.<\/p>\n

Since\u00a0research<\/a>\u00a0shows\u00a0most suspensions<\/a>\u00a0are for subjective, minor rule infractions such as tardiness, disrespect, insubordination or dress code violations, and that minority students, particularly African-American students, are\u00a0disroportionately<\/a>\u00a0disciplined for such infractions, the proposed suspension ban for the District of Columbia\u2019s school system might appear to be a step in the right direction.<\/p>\n

However, speaking as a\u00a0researcher<\/a>\u00a0of education policy, I believe the reality is that a suspension ban could potentially harm the very students it is designed to help. For this reason, a careful look at the pros and cons of getting rid of suspensions altogether is warranted.<\/p>\n

A broader trend<\/strong><\/h4>\n

As a policy proposal, the \u201cStudent Fair Access to School Act\u201d is not unique. It is part of a trend of\u00a0efforts to move away<\/a>\u00a0from the zero tolerance policies of the early 2000s and to hopefully reduce or eliminate the racial\u00a0discipline gap<\/a>.<\/p>\n

States such as\u00a0North Carolina<\/a>\u00a0have moved to prohibit out-of-school suspensions and expulsions unless they are required under federal or state law. Many others, like Connecticut, California and Texas, have imposed such restrictions for suspensions for\u00a0younger students<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Several urban school districts<\/a>, such as those in\u00a0Baltimore<\/a>,\u00a0Philadelphia<\/a>,\u00a0Denver<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Los Angeles<\/a>, have also undergone school discipline reform.
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