District: Suspensions, Expulsions Down from Last Year

Suspensions and expulsions in the were down this past school year, but board members didn’t necessarily view that as a good thing.

There were 535 suspensions this year, compared to 589 in the 2009-2010 school year. The 54 fewer suspensions in 2009-2010 were a 9 percent decrease from the year before, according to a presentation given by the district’s Director of Assessment Jane Yuster. Since 2008-2009, the district has seen 140 fewer suspensions, a 21 percent decrease.

However, Superintendent Jan Christensen said this decrease has reflected a change in the school climate.

She said when she visited Hoover Community School a few years ago, she was "astonished by some of the behavior, with students just standing outside the classrooms during school."

But in a recent visit, she said their was a huge change in students' behavior, largely credit to the school's new discipline program implemented at several schools, including Hoover.

"I'm very pleased with this incredible turnaround," she said.

K-5 and K-6 Schools

Year

Number of Suspensions

% Increase/Decrease

 Middle Schools

Year

Number of Suspensions

% Increase/Decrease

K-8 Schools

Year

Number of Suspension

% Increase/Decrease

Nearly half of suspensions resulted from 247 students causing or threatening to cause physical injury to another person. Disrupting school activities or defying authority from school officials were the second highest number of suspensions at 120 students, or 22 percent.

The rest of the suspensions, as classified by the educational code 48900, were as follows:

Half of the 20 students who were expelled had caused or threatened physical injury to another person or created a hostile environment.

The remaining expulsions were as follows:

• Possession, use, selling or under the influence of any controlled substance: 3
• Sexual harassment (grades 4-12 only): 3
• Possession, use, or selling any firearm or similarly dangerous object: 2
• Committed or attempted to commit robbery or extortion: 1
• Terrorist threats against schools officials and/or property: 1

Some boardmembers expressed concerns about suspensions in general, stating that this could be exactly the “punishment” that students are seeking.

“I’m worried that they’re being sent home and having fun,” said trustee Maria Diaz-Slocum.

She suggested requiring that students attend a library or another facility where they would have to complete homework or an alternative educational activity.

Trustee Shelley Masur also explored the possibility of utilizing school resources to work through the problems rather than taking them out of school.

Yuster affirmed that she does talk to all parents of suspended children and directs them toward behavioral resources and guidance, but she ultimately cannot force them to seek help for their children.

Correction: The original article reported that Superintendent Jan Christensen was astonished at the current school climate, when in fact she said at the school board meeting that she was very pleased with the current climate.