*Originally posted 09/22/15
There are various studies that have been published that suggest that students are not spending enough time in school. They suggest solutions like longer school days and shorter summer breaks. We are so worried that we are maximizing the instructional time in our schools, but what happens to those students who we don’t allow to attend?
Every day there are thousands of students across the United States who are not allowed to attend school because they have been suspended from school. Out-of-school suspension has become a common discipline for students who cause problems at school. They are used for a variety of reasons, including severe student disruption of class, and threats to the physical safety of students or staff. From a teacher’s perspective, it’s understandable to think that it’s not helping the individual student or the rest of the class, to have certain students in the classroom. But when we forbid these students from coming to school not only does it send them the message that it’s not that important that they receive an education, but it also makes them feel unwanted as a person.
When we think about the concept of out-of-school suspension, not only should we be evaluating whether or not it is an appropriate punishment for the offense, but we also need to be making sure that we aren’t acting out on personal biases towards certain categories of students. Numerous studies, including one from the Civil Rights Data Collection show that students with disabilities and students of racial minorities are suspended at much higher rates than their peers. The Department of Education has produced some interactive maps that show suspension rates across the United States. Those maps can be accessed here.
There are numerous long-term consequences that young people face from not being in school consistently. A publication that discusses some of those consequences in-depth can be found here. What it really boils down to, though, is a student can’t be expected to learn if they aren’t in school. If we want to help our kids learn, develop, and be prepared for the future, we shouldn’t be so quick to kick them out of school.
