| Out of school suspensions have become a major | | | | unacceptable behaviors, it becomes easier each time |
| disciplinary action engaged in by public schools in Illinois. | | | | to use. Why? Because suspensions solve the school's |
| Suspensions produce poor results with regular | | | | immediate problem, getting rid of a disruptive student. It |
| students and are educationally unsound for students in | | | | becomes an easy fix. Unfortunately, it is a poor solution |
| special education. Yet schools continue with this | | | | because it does nothing to modify behavior and in fact |
| dreadful disciplinary action and then justify it with: "we | | | | reinforces inappropriate ones. |
| don't have many other options" or "we have a large | | | | At a local junior high in this area, they frequently have |
| number of other students to consider"; all the while, | | | | food fights in the cafeteria, resulting in out of school |
| failing in their task to provide FAPE (Free Appropriate | | | | suspensions for those involved. One would think that |
| Public Education) to special education students. | | | | after a dozen more subsequent incidents, that the |
| It begs the question - If the handicapped child is | | | | school would realize that the consequences weren't |
| classified as emotionally disturbed/behavior disordered | | | | effective. I would suggest that the school did have |
| then aren't the behaviors not only expected but also | | | | other options for modifying behaviors. What about |
| the ones that the school should be teaching to and | | | | providing additional time at school when the school day |
| modifying? How does a child being out of school allow | | | | is over or on Saturdays and requiring the cleaning of |
| the school to do this? | | | | the cafeteria as a consequence? Schools usually don't |
| 1. Suspensions create missed Educational Opportunities | | | | do this because it would mean that they would have |
| - When a special education student misses school, he | | | | to spend the extra time supervising the students. A |
| looses out on direct special education services and the | | | | wise parent does, however, realize that when they |
| opportunities to interact with others. Generally a | | | | use effective discipline it frequently means that they |
| suspension occurs as a result of an inappropriate | | | | may have to suffer a bit initially to achieve the desired |
| behavior. During the suspension, educating on content | | | | long term result. |
| is lost and the ability to teach appropriate behaviors is | | | | A child with a handicapping condition is being cheated |
| as well. | | | | by the public schools when an out of school |
| 2. Suspensions reward inappropriate behaviors - Most | | | | suspension occurs. The school has failed to provide |
| special education students would rather be in any | | | | appropriate actions to address the behavior(s) that led |
| place but in their class. By using out of school | | | | to the need for special education services in the first |
| suspensions, schools reward the child for an | | | | place. |
| inappropriate behavior by giving them a day or so off | | | | It is time for Illinois schools to rethink out of school |
| from school. And if the child is allowed to maintain | | | | suspensions and in many cases their entire method of |
| normal activities at home, ie: watch tv, etc. it merely | | | | disciplining children and to start using educationally |
| compounds the ineffectiveness of the suspension. | | | | sound thinking - after all we are entrusting the schools |
| 3. Suspensions are self motivating - The first time a | | | | to educate and using logic should be part of the |
| school decides to suspend a child for swearing at a | | | | education process. |
| teacher, arguing, fighting or other types of | | | | |