The Problems with Suspension
By Steven Fitzgerald
"Justice is truth in action."
-Benjamin Disraeli
Suspensions within Chicago Public Schools has been increasing steadily throughout the years. Race has proved to be a big factor in suspension rates within high schools. Schools with larger minority populations( African Americans, Latino, etc...) show greater suspension rates because of repeated violations of the CPS Code of Conduct. Suspensions are an ineffective way of disciplining students as it does no teach them to learn from the experience or inspire them to act differently in the future. Specific patterns in suspension rates show exactly which students are being negatively affected the most within the CPS education system. The need for suspensions must be reevaluated as these may have more negative affects on students than proactive, positive affects.
The overall numbers of students being suspended in Chicago alone is alarming. Over 45% of students enrolled in a Chicago Public School are African American- and out of that 45%, 76% percent of them receive out-of-school and in-school suspensions (www2.ed.gov, 4). For Hispanic students, the amount of suspensions is around 20% out of the 42% enrolled in a Chicago Public School (www2.ed.gov, 4). Why are the numbers for these two groups the highest out of all the other race groups? Could it be that these students are in fact receiving negative messages about themselves, thus leading them to not try in school? Maybe suspensions are not the correct disciplinary measure to take for certain offences that are not major.
According to CPS suspension data: "throughout their schooling, black male students are more likely to be suspended than any other group in CPS" (suspensionstories). This statistic comes out of research that was conducted for over 407,000 students in 675 schools within the Chicago area. But what does this particular statistic say about African American students' success rates? "African Americans have the lowest graduation rates and saw the slowest growth rate across all groups" (cps.edu). These suspensions are clearly not the answer to schools' disciplinary actions and they obviously have a negative affect on the students' overall performance in school. it is not just a mere coincidence that African American students in Chicago Public Schools have the highest suspension rates as well as the lowest success rates. By suspending the student you are telling them that they are criminals who must be punished- and that there is nothing to do for them except suspend them from school. This is clearly has a negative affect because these thoughts will stick with the kids for the rest of their lives- the idea that they are criminals and that there is absolutely nothing that can be done for them.
Fortunately, CPS has been revising their code of conduct to finally relax the overuse of suspensions. According to Noreen S. Ahmed-Ullah from the Chicago Tribune, CPS has made changes to the student code of conduct in the past year: "A revised student code of conduct put in place in 2012 eliminated out-of-school suspensions for all but the most serious infractions and also did away with mandatory 10-day suspensions"(Ahmed-Ullah, 1) By choosing to change the disciplinary actions for less serious offences within Chicago Public Schools, the schools will be able to implement more healthful, opportunity based disciplinary actions such as peer juries and peace circles.
Suspensions have been a negative way of disciplining students for years. It still takes its toll on students today by teaching the kids that they are criminals- and not by teaching them positive ways to influence their future actions. Suspensions have also had direct affects on students' grades and overall performance in school by taking away their drive to achieve greater goals by learning from their mistakes. however, there are substitutes for suspensions such as peer juries and peace circles- both of which take the student's situation and turn it into a positive learning experience- something that could not be done with a suspension. Of course suspensions are necessary for more serious offences within Chicago Public Schools, but the actions taken toward minor offences are the ones that must be reevaluated and turned into more proactive ways for students to succeed in their futures.
Sources:
Ahmed-Ullah, Noreen S. "CPS Wants to Ease Discipline Policy at Charters." Chicago Tribune. N.p., 07 Feb. 2014. Web. 28 Feb. 2014. <http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-02-07/news/ct-suspension-chicago-schools-met-20140206_1_discipline-policy-student-suspensions-charter-schoolshttp://www.suspensionstories.com/research/cps-suspension-data/>.
"Press Release." Chicago Public Schools : CPS Sees 36 Percent Drop in Suspensions. N.p., 7 Feb. 2014. Web. 28 Feb. 2014. <http://www.cps.edu/News/Press_releases/Pages/PR1_02_07_2014.aspx>.
United States. Office For Civil Rights. Department of Education. The Transformed Civil Rights Data Collection. N.p., 12 Mar. 2012. Web. 28 Feb. 2014. <http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/crdc-2012-data-summary.pdf>.
-Benjamin Disraeli
Suspensions within Chicago Public Schools has been increasing steadily throughout the years. Race has proved to be a big factor in suspension rates within high schools. Schools with larger minority populations( African Americans, Latino, etc...) show greater suspension rates because of repeated violations of the CPS Code of Conduct. Suspensions are an ineffective way of disciplining students as it does no teach them to learn from the experience or inspire them to act differently in the future. Specific patterns in suspension rates show exactly which students are being negatively affected the most within the CPS education system. The need for suspensions must be reevaluated as these may have more negative affects on students than proactive, positive affects.
The overall numbers of students being suspended in Chicago alone is alarming. Over 45% of students enrolled in a Chicago Public School are African American- and out of that 45%, 76% percent of them receive out-of-school and in-school suspensions (www2.ed.gov, 4). For Hispanic students, the amount of suspensions is around 20% out of the 42% enrolled in a Chicago Public School (www2.ed.gov, 4). Why are the numbers for these two groups the highest out of all the other race groups? Could it be that these students are in fact receiving negative messages about themselves, thus leading them to not try in school? Maybe suspensions are not the correct disciplinary measure to take for certain offences that are not major.
According to CPS suspension data: "throughout their schooling, black male students are more likely to be suspended than any other group in CPS" (suspensionstories). This statistic comes out of research that was conducted for over 407,000 students in 675 schools within the Chicago area. But what does this particular statistic say about African American students' success rates? "African Americans have the lowest graduation rates and saw the slowest growth rate across all groups" (cps.edu). These suspensions are clearly not the answer to schools' disciplinary actions and they obviously have a negative affect on the students' overall performance in school. it is not just a mere coincidence that African American students in Chicago Public Schools have the highest suspension rates as well as the lowest success rates. By suspending the student you are telling them that they are criminals who must be punished- and that there is nothing to do for them except suspend them from school. This is clearly has a negative affect because these thoughts will stick with the kids for the rest of their lives- the idea that they are criminals and that there is absolutely nothing that can be done for them.
Fortunately, CPS has been revising their code of conduct to finally relax the overuse of suspensions. According to Noreen S. Ahmed-Ullah from the Chicago Tribune, CPS has made changes to the student code of conduct in the past year: "A revised student code of conduct put in place in 2012 eliminated out-of-school suspensions for all but the most serious infractions and also did away with mandatory 10-day suspensions"(Ahmed-Ullah, 1) By choosing to change the disciplinary actions for less serious offences within Chicago Public Schools, the schools will be able to implement more healthful, opportunity based disciplinary actions such as peer juries and peace circles.
Suspensions have been a negative way of disciplining students for years. It still takes its toll on students today by teaching the kids that they are criminals- and not by teaching them positive ways to influence their future actions. Suspensions have also had direct affects on students' grades and overall performance in school by taking away their drive to achieve greater goals by learning from their mistakes. however, there are substitutes for suspensions such as peer juries and peace circles- both of which take the student's situation and turn it into a positive learning experience- something that could not be done with a suspension. Of course suspensions are necessary for more serious offences within Chicago Public Schools, but the actions taken toward minor offences are the ones that must be reevaluated and turned into more proactive ways for students to succeed in their futures.
Sources:
Ahmed-Ullah, Noreen S. "CPS Wants to Ease Discipline Policy at Charters." Chicago Tribune. N.p., 07 Feb. 2014. Web. 28 Feb. 2014. <http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-02-07/news/ct-suspension-chicago-schools-met-20140206_1_discipline-policy-student-suspensions-charter-schoolshttp://www.suspensionstories.com/research/cps-suspension-data/>.
"Press Release." Chicago Public Schools : CPS Sees 36 Percent Drop in Suspensions. N.p., 7 Feb. 2014. Web. 28 Feb. 2014. <http://www.cps.edu/News/Press_releases/Pages/PR1_02_07_2014.aspx>.
United States. Office For Civil Rights. Department of Education. The Transformed Civil Rights Data Collection. N.p., 12 Mar. 2012. Web. 28 Feb. 2014. <http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/crdc-2012-data-summary.pdf>.