Ideally, a recent directive from the federal government regarding disciplinary action in schools will raise plenty of thoughtful discussion — as well as effective methods for combating discriminatory enforcement of policies. But the danger is that it could obfuscate other meaningful issues surrounding student safety in public schools.
Federal officials last week issued guidelines for school districts on how to avoid racial disparities in student punishment. The U.S. departments of justice and education reported data demonstrating that African Americans were punished more harshly and more frequently than whites in similar situations. According to the education department’s Office for Civil Rights, black students were three times more likely than white peers to be expelled or suspended. Because of that, the feds sent a 23-page letter to school districts stressing that the government would actively enforce federal laws against bias in school discipline and, for the first time, providing discipline guidelines.
Deborah J. Vagins, senior legislative council for the American Civil Liberties Union in this state, said: “This guidance makes it crystal clear for schools what their obligations are under our civil rights laws . . . This is a victory for all who care about creating environments where students can thrive.” Chris Korsmo of Washington’s League of Education Voters, told The Seattle Times: “Students can’t learn if they aren’t in the classroom.”
Yet this points out the conundrum in the federal directive. While students can’t learn if they are not in school, all too often the presence of certain students prevents others from learning. Disruptive students can distract teachers from their primary duty of teaching and can distract classmates from their primary duty of learning. School officials should, indeed, seek ways to keep kids in school, but they should ensure that it doesn’t come at the expense of other students who obey the rules and are trying their best to learn.
