Chicago Officials: ‘Suspending students does more harm than good’
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and CPS chief Barbara Byrd-Bennett announced new hopes for the district’s suspension policy.
At Tuesday’s press conference, officials placed a high emphasis on student discipline, shying away from the “suspend a student first” narrative echoed throughout many schools in the country.
…Emanuel and Byrd-Bennett encouraged schools to try policies that turn troublemakers into student leaders, and move away from zero-tolerance policies, especially ones that keep kids out of school.
“There is still suspension here, they still use it, but it’s a last resort,” said Emanuel. “It happens so much less frequently, which also results in more kids on track to graduate and go on to higher education.”
Byrd-Bennett said zero-tolerance policies in CPS and nationwide “have done more harm than good. When students are removed from the classroom for even a relatively minor disciplinary infraction, they miss valuable, valuable instructional time.”
The endorsement comes at the heels of constant debate about the effects of zero-tolerance policies, particularly on male students of color.
A recent study led by Michigan State University Assistant Professor of Education Muhammad Khalifa found that students who identified with hip-hop culture were often removed from school and faster rates.
Thoughts on the announcement?
Should all schools just say no to zero-tolerance policies?
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