Suspensions

Definition

Suspensions are disciplinary actions taken by schools that temporarily remove students from their regular educational environment due to violations of school rules or policies. This punitive measure can significantly impact a student’s academic performance and social development, as it often leads to missed instructional time and can contribute to feelings of alienation and disconnection from the school community.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Suspensions disproportionately affect students of color, particularly Black and Latino students, contributing to systemic inequalities in education.
2. Students who are suspended are more likely to drop out of school, leading to long-term negative consequences in their lives.
3. The use of suspensions has been criticized for being an ineffective means of addressing behavioral issues, often failing to teach students the necessary skills to improve their behavior.
4. Research indicates that schools with restorative justice practices experience lower rates of suspension and improved school climate.
5. Suspensions can lead to a cycle of exclusion, where students who are removed from school fall behind academically and may engage in further problematic behavior due to lack of support.

Review Questions

• How do suspensions impact student academic performance and social connections?
  • Suspensions significantly disrupt a student's academic progress by causing them to miss valuable instructional time, which can lead to lower grades and disengagement from the learning process. Additionally, being suspended can strain social connections with peers and teachers, making it harder for students to reintegrate into the school environment once they return. This isolation can create feelings of alienation, further exacerbating behavioral issues and hindering personal development.
• What are the broader implications of using suspensions as a disciplinary measure in schools?
  • Using suspensions as a primary disciplinary measure can have far-reaching consequences not only for the individual student but also for the entire school community. When certain groups of students, particularly those from marginalized backgrounds, face disproportionate rates of suspension, it perpetuates systemic inequalities within the education system. Furthermore, this practice contributes to the school-to-prison pipeline by increasing the likelihood that suspended students will become involved in the juvenile justice system due to academic disengagement and lack of supervision.
• Evaluate alternative approaches to discipline that might reduce reliance on suspensions and improve student outcomes.
  • Alternative approaches like restorative justice focus on addressing the root causes of behavior rather than simply punishing students. These methods encourage dialogue between affected parties and promote understanding, accountability, and community-building. By implementing such practices, schools can create a more supportive environment that fosters personal growth while simultaneously reducing the number of suspensions. This shift not only helps students learn from their mistakes but also strengthens relationships within the school community, ultimately leading to better academic and behavioral outcomes.

Related terms

Expulsion: A more severe form of discipline than suspension, expulsion permanently removes a student from the school for serious infractions.

Restorative Justice:

An approach to discipline that focuses on repairing harm and restoring relationships rather than solely punishing the offender.

School-to-Prison Pipeline: The troubling trend where students are funneled out of public schools and into the juvenile and criminal justice systems, often as a result of harsh disciplinary measures.