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Week of May 27, 2011

Complaint alleges JCPS discipline discriminates against African American and disabled students, Courier-Journal
A number of groups in Louisville have filed a Title VI complaint alleging racial disparities in school discipline.

School discipline: Elementary schoolers forced to lift weights, grandmother says, NorwichBulletin.com
A grandmother in New Haven, CT alleges that her grandchildren were forced to lift weights as a form of school discipline.

Schools’ zero-tolerance policies criticized, The Baltimore Sun
An article in the Baltimore Sun does a good job of presenting the case made by advocates and researchers (and not disputed by any research) that harsh discipline policies are a bad way of dealing with school discipline.  The article quotes Jane Sundius of the Open Society Institute and Judge Steven Teske among others.

Fewer Students Suspended From Denver Schools, KMGH Denver
In Denver, 7 News is reporting that it has data showing that suspensions in Denver schools are down more than 1,700 from five year ago.  While this data is essentially accurate (in fact, it is underreporting the drop – which was actually more than 2,600), it does not look at the year by year trends – which show that while progress is being made, there is more left to do.  It is always good to see reporting that highlights progress in school discipline, but it’s important not to draw facile conclusions from limited data.

New Denver Public Schools discipline system isn’t embraced by all, The Denver Post
Another article from Denver, reporting that some parents are concerned that the new discipline policy is not “keeping their students safe.”  The article includes some very positive quotes from the district, but it makes a mistake by making it seem as though the concerns of a few vocal parents are raising questions about the policy overall.  In fact, the truth is that DPS has not done enough to implement the new policy and change the school cultures across the district.  There is some progress being made, but it is far from true that students are simply not being disciplined in school.  The attention is being paid because Tom Perez (head of the Civil Rights Divison of DOJ) visited Denver to learn about the school discipline code and restorative justice.

Wake proposes more student discipline changes, News & Observer
School administrators in Wake County, NC propose more changes to school discipline to reduce suspensions.

Fairfax County School Board weighs changes to discipline policies, The Washington Post
And the school board in Fairfax is now looking at the discipline policy changes.

Bill gives parents more power to say no to corporal punishment, ValleyCentral.com
A local TV story on the Texas bill that lets parents opt out of corporal punishment for their kids.

Parents Questions Harshness of Misconduct Punishments, WBAL TV
More of the annual overreaction to senior pranks in Maryland.

More schools ease zero-tolerance policies on drugs, The Tennessean
A story from Tennessee looking at a trend in many schools across the state toward handling discipline for drug offenses on a case-by-case basis rather than applying harsh zero tolerance sanctions.

Restorative School Practices preps for Summer Institute, Village Soup
A restorative practices convening in Maine over the summer.

Fairfax discipline proposals issued, The Washington Post
Fairfax, VA superintendent Jack Dale expands on his discipline recommendations.

Ohio Schoolboys’ Suspension For Farting On Bus Won’t Blow Over, AOL
The Huffington Post makes lots of farting puns as it continues to cover the story of the seventh graders who were suspended for farting on the school bus in Ohio.

Opinions/Editorials

Jeff Gerritt: Criminal charges aren’t the right route for Courtney Thomas, Detroit Free Press
In Michigan, a column arguing that criminal charges are not the right way to handle the case of a mentally disturbed boy who wrote racial slurs in his school.

When We Ban Kids From School, the Damage Goes far Beyond Academics, The Huffington Post
An excellent piece in the Huffington Post arguing that we need to look beyond whether zero tolerance policies are “fair” and start paying attention to the massive harm that we are doing to youth.

Zero tolerance, zero sense?, NorthJersey.com
Another “zero tolerance, zero common sense” piece from New Jersey in response to the Connecticut student who was barred from his prom.

When Discipline Goes Overboard, Fairfax Station Patch
A good piece from a student in Virginia recounting how her boyfriend snuck into the backyard of her house and spelled “Prom?” in Christmas lights and pointing out that if he’d done that at school, he’d have been suspended.

Editorial: Redefining zero tolerance, Salisbury Post
Finally, some sanity may return to ‘zero tolerance’ policies, The Asheville Citizen-Times
A series of editorials and stories from North Carolina supporting the NC Senate bill that would ease zero tolerance policies across the state.

Scaling back zero-tolerance rules could help students, Asheville educators say, The Asheville Citizen-Times
Reporting from Asheville that looks deeper in to the issue

Enforcing the rules, schools often flunk Common Sense 101, Boston Herald
The Connecticut student who was banned from his prom for putting letters on a wall is now allowed to go.

Zero-tolerance policies fuel school-to-prison pipeline, Star-Telegram
Annette Fuentes’ piece on how zero tolerance fuels the school to prison pipeline is being picked up by papers around the country.

Schools: Discipline still problematic, Clarion Ledger
In Mississippi, an editorial calling for an end to corporal punishment in school.

No spanking over parents’ wishes, Statesman.com
More reporting on the proposed law in Texas that would allow parents to opt-out of corporal punishment for their children. The Austin Statesman’s editorial page supports the bill.

 

Week of May 20, 2011

Spanking bill survives House, San Antonio Express-News
The Texas bill that passes the house gives parents the right to tell a school not to use corporal punishment.

Connecticut teen garnering support after prom ban, CNN
Trespass at School. Post Prom Invitation. Get Barred From Event. Become Famous., The New York Times
Lots of news about a student in Connecticut who was given an in-school suspension and banned from prom for asking a girl to prom on the school wall.

High school takes proactive approach to drugs and alcohol, ksl.com
A story about a private high school in Utah that is trying to treat youth with drug and alcohol problems rather than punish them.

NH upholds but shortens student’s email suspension, Associated Press
A court in NH finds that a student who was suspended for more than a month for writing sexually explicit emails was suspended for too long.

Palmer 9-year-old headed to Juvenile Court for bringing Airsoft toy gun on school bus, The Republican
A student in Massachusetts has a court date because he brought an airsoft pistol on the school bus.

NC lawmakers revisit school zero-tolerance rules, Associated Press
More reporting on the news that NC is about to reform its zero tolerance policies at the state level. A paper from South Carolina uses the story as an excuse to look at the problems with zero tolerance around the country and in South Carolina.

Dad Says Son Was Suspended For Passing Gas on School Bus, WBNS-10TV
A student in Ohio was suspended for farting on the school bus.

Opinions/Editorials

School discipline lacking rehabilitation for repeat offending students, My High School Journalism
A student written article arguing that punitive discipline doesn’t work because it doesn’t seek to actually address youth problems – it just takes away their personal time or keeps them out of school.

13-year-old kicked off bus for cutting the cheese! Good call?, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
AJC poses an open question to readers regarding the suspension of a student for farting on the school bus.

Let James Tate Go to the Prom. Please., Slate
Slate blog op-ed on the CT teen suspended from school and prom for asking a girl to prom on the school wall.

During graduation time, let us reject the school-to-prison pipeline, The Progressive
In “The Progressive,” Annette Fuentes, the author of a new book analyzing the school-to-prison-pipeline, asks us to reject that pipeline during graduation season.

Rethinking zero tolerance, News & Record
An opinion piece from Winston Salem reflects on why conservative law makers are so opposed to zero tolerance.

 

Week of May 13, 2011

NC lawmakers revisit school zero-tolerance rules, WRAL.com
The North Carolina state senate is moving towards a bipartisan bill that would limit the use of zero tolerance in schools statewide and cut back on out of school suspensions.

NC Senate approves giving parents choice to rule out spanking for misbehaving kids, The Republic
The North Carolina Senate voted to limit corporal punishment – allowing parents to tell schools not to use it.

Delaware schools: Christina School District amends discipline policies, The News Journal
More coverage of the move by Christina, Delaware to make its discipline policy less harsh and less punitive.

PTAs Give Discipline Recommendations To Superintendent, Fairfax City Patch
Fairfax PTAs send discipline recommendations to the superintendent and school board.

Two Easton lacrosse players suspended under zero-tolerance policies, The Baltimore Sun
Two lacrosse players in Easton, MD were suspended for having tools that they use to repair their lacrosse sticks (a lighter and a pen knife).

Zero tolerance or lack of common sense?, WJLA.com
And ABC 7 in Washington DC picks up the zero tolerance/zero common sense theme.

Discipline in Schools: A KSLA News 12 Special Report, KSLA.com
A local TV station in the Texarkana area produces a special report on school discipline.

Is the zero tolerance policy in schools to harsh?, Today’s THV
A local Arkansas TV station picks up a story from CNN (Soledad O’Brien) reporting on the overuse of police and zero tolerance in schools – specifically the report highlights the ACLU’s suit in New York City claiming that the police are arresting too many students and mistreating them.  The report highlights the story of a student who was arrested for doodling on his desk and handcuffed to a bench for hours.

Missouri school districts adopting policies on use of isolation, restraint, Quincy Herald-Whig
A new state law in Missouri requires districts to make new rules about the use of seclusion and restraint in school discipline.

Waterloo Schools using rewards to reduce behavior problems, WFCCourier.com
Schools in Waterloo, IA are trying positive discipline.

Culture of Calm Is Threatened by Budget Cuts, The New York Times
Chicago’s “Culture of Calm” program in schools – meant to improve school climate and keep students in school – is running out of money.

Dubious drop in suspensions, Republican American
Teachers in Waterbury, CT say that the reason for a decrease in suspensions is that teachers are being pressured to keep disruptive students in class.

‘Hitting Stops Here’ targets schools, policies, Clarion Ledger
A mother’s activism after her son was choked by a teacher has helped spark a push to end corporal punishment in MS.

School district’s violence categories keep violence underreported, Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philly Inquirer is continuing its investigation into school violence, now looking deeper into the fact that some offenses like “fighting,” “disorderly conduct,” and others are not coded as “violent.”  The Inquirer’s agenda is to continue to paint a picture of a violent and out of control school system that needs harsh disciplinary intervention.  While accurate data is critical, it is also important to remember that students are not wild animals, and that the solution is healthy school cultures, not more punitive reactions.

NH school discipline bill OKs ‘reasonable’ force, Associated Press
New Hampshire is still considering a bill that would make school teachers immune from being sued for disciplining students with “reasonable” physical force.

Changing the Ever-Changing Face of Behavior, WSAZ.com
A school in West Virginia is trying to handle discipline and bullying by looking at school culture.

ACLU, Christina School District reach settlement in discipline case, Newark Post
The ACLU settles a complaint against a school district in Delaware over a rigid application of its zero tolerance policy.

Suspension Trap, The Progressive
A powerful story about the damage done to students by out of school suspensions in The Progressive.

Opinions/Editorials

Guest Commentary: Get Smart, not just tough, on school discipline, The Denver Post
Two democratic state senators and a Republican house member in Colorado have an op-ed in the Denver Post forcefully laying out the case that too many students in Colorado are being sent down the school-to-prison pipeline.  The piece is written in support of SB-133 which would create a legislative committee to study the issue and propose solutions.

Reframing youth and violence, The Philadelphia Public School Notebook
Two researchers in Philly have a piece in the Notebook today pushing back on the Inquirer’s narrative about “violent youth.”  They report on their experience with Philly Student Union and on the citywide youth movement for nonviolent and nonpunitive responses to school discipline issues.  The answer is more student voice – not more school police.

Zero tolerance? Zero common sense, The Baltimore Sun
And the Baltimore Sun has an editorial blasting the school’s decision and using the now familiar refrain: zero tolerance? Zero common sense.

Zero-Tolerance Policy Creates a School-to-Prison Pipeline, New American Media
A review of a new book looking at the school to prison pipeline: Annette Fuentes’ Lockdown High: When the Schoolhouse Becomes the Jailhouse.

Gang injunctions, unfettered police power gentrify Oakland, San Francisco Bay View
An update on activism around the criminalization of youth in Oakland.

 

Week of May 6, 2011

‘School-to-jail’ reform coming?, Denver Daily News
An excellent article from Denver noting that the bill to create a committee to work on ending the criminalization of youth in Colorado was passed out of the House committee yesterday.  There are some excellent quotes from legislators in the piece acknowledging the need to stop treating our schools like prisons.

Wake delays vote on student discipline charges, News & Observer
The Wake County school board has proposed cutting back on zero tolerance, but the vote on that change is being delayed.

SISTERS FIGHT to End Harassment in Schools, The Brooklyn Rail
Young women in New York City fighting back against sexual harassment in their schools.

Wake schools soften on zero tolerance, News & Observer
Wake Co. Looks To Shake Up Student Discipline Policy, WFAE 90.7 FM
It looks like Wake County, NC is going to roll back its zero tolerance policies to some extent.  It looks like the Title VI complaint that was recently filed by Advocates for Children has had some effect.

Dale Asks Principals to Host ‘Dialogues on Discipline,’ BurkePatch
Fairfax’s Superintendent Jack Dale asks school principals to convene discipline conversations about his recommended reforms.

High school expulsions drop, tardy-related suspensions rise, Trib Local
A report fro the Chicago suburbs from a district where expulsions are dropping, but in-school suspensions are skyrocketing.

Senior Prank Led to Pennsylvania School Lockdown, FOX News
In Pennsylvania, a senior prank where two public school students posed as janitors in a nearby Catholic school has resulted in criminal charges.

Bill Hopes to Eliminate Concealed Guns in Schools, KBND.com
Oregon is considering a bill that would ban concealed weapons in schools (for adults).

Suspension Trap, The Investigative Fund
A powerful article from “The Progressive” exposing the “suspension trap” created by alternative schools that are being used as dumping grounds for disciplined students.

Opinions/Editorials

Second chances, News & Observer
An editorial from Wake County, NC highlighting and praising the school board’s move away from zero tolerance and long term suspensions.

Rule of lawyers handcuffs teachers, New York Post
An opinion piece in the NY Post that highlights the increasingly militarized and policed nature of public schools, and proceeds to blame this trend on the disempowering of teachers.  There is much to agree with in this analysis – unfortunately the author hearkens back to the “good old days” when teachers ruled classrooms with birch switches and total authority.  In fact, what we need to create are classrooms where teachers and students are working together to teach, learn, and create a healthy community.

Discipline children, don’t criminalize them, El Paso Times
Texas state rep. Helen Giddings writes in the El Paso Times that we should discipline youth, not criminalize them.

School justice, Toledo Blade
An editorial from Toledo in response to the recent discipline of a student for mistakenly bringing a knife on the bus.  The piece argues that rigid, zero tolerance discipline policies lead to unjust consequences.

FZTR: Discipline Recommendations Don’t Go Far Enough, FairfaxCityPatch
In Virginia, FZTR says that the proposed changes in Fairfax County don’t go far enough.

Comprehensive plan needed for school violence, Philadelphia Public School Notebook
An interesting commentary from Philadelphia on the proposed increased use of armed police in city schools in response to school violence.  The author (a former administrator) acknowledges that police may be helpful sometimes, but argues that putting police in school doesn’t address the root causes of violence and is thus not a long term solution.