Student Suspensions NOT Just Stupid Kid Stuff

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Roanoke Times, 11-20-11, Pg. Horiz 2: Editorial: Student Suspensions Just Stupid Kid Stuff. Teach children to behave in school. Sending tens of thousands of students home for minor infractions neither corrects their behavior nor improves their schools’ ability to stop disruptions. Most suspensions are for stupid kid stuff like being disrespectful or disruptive or misusing electronics.
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This lengthy thesis on Virginia schools’ actions to try to keep a semblance of classroom decorum in order to foster a teaching-learning environment is the most permissive, misdirected and misinformed diatribe I’ve ever read on this subject.
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This is most interesting because this blog has challenged the Roanoke Times Editorial Girls, many times since 2005, to come out of their cocoons’ and gain direct personal knowledge of the public school’s challenges in educating as many of our students as possible. Each and every one of these Editors needs to be a substitute teacher one day a week in the Roanoke School System for a year.
http://roanokeslant.blogspot.com/2011/03/yet-another-misdirected-roanoke-times.html
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After a career as an engineer in industry, I taught math and science classes for 6 years in a Virginia public school at both the Middle and High school levels. The behaviors that result in students being sent home are not “just stupid kid stuff”. They are actions and behaviors that would result in firings and terminations at the Roanoke Times.
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The following blog items describe the educational challenges we have and the many issues caused by students who are dedicated to the premise that they are not going to learn and that they will ensure no one else does either.  What a joy for educators and students who want to learn!
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The most basic first question is: “Where are the parents and what are they doing”?
Oh, right, it’s the village thing!
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http://roanokeslant.blogspot.com/2011/03/yet-another-misdirected-roanoke-times.html
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http://roanokeslant.blogspot.com/2010/12/too-dumb-to-serve.html
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Outstanding Additional Followup Article:  by Ms. Betty G. Price of Roanoke
School discipline begins at home
http://www.roanoke.com/editorials/commentary/wb/301481
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