Why School Suspension are illogical
by Robert Schpok
Out of school suspensions have become a major disciplinary action engaged in by public schools in Illinois. Suspensions produce poor results with regular students and are educationally unsound for students in special education. Yet schools continue with this dreadful disciplinary action and then justify it with: "we don't have many other options" or "we have a large number of other students to consider". All the while, failing in their task to provide FAPE (Free appropriate Public Education) to special education students.
It begs the question - If the handicapped child is classified as emotionally disturbed/behavior disordered then aren't the behaviors not only expected but also the ones that the school should be teaching to and modifying? How does a child being out of school allow the school to do this?
1. Suspensions create missed Educational Opportunities
When a special education student misses school, he looses out on direct special education services and the opportunities to interact with others. Generally a suspension occurs as a result of an inappropriate behavior. During the suspension, educating on content is lost and the ability to teach appropriate behaviors is as well.
2. Suspensions reward inappropriate behaviors
Most special education students would rather be in any place but in their class. By using out of school suspensions, schools reward the child for an inappropriate behavior by giving them a day or so off from school. And if the child is allowed to maintain normal activities at home, ie: watch tv, etc. it merely compounds the ineffectiveness of the suspension.
3. Suspensions are self motivating
The first time a school decides to suspend a child for swearing at a teacher, arguing, fighting or other types of inappropriate behaviors, it becomes easier each time to use. Why? because suspensions solve the schools immediate problem, getting rid of a disruptive student. It becomes an easy fix. Unfortunately, it is a poor solution because it does nothing to modify behavior and in fact reinforces inappropriate ones.
A child with a handicapping condition is being cheated by the public schools when an out of school suspension occurs. The school has failed to provide appropriate actions to address the behavior(s) that led to the need for special education services in the first place.
It is time for Illinois schools to rethink out of school suspensions and start using educationally sound thinking - after all we are entrusting the schools to educate and using logic is part of the education process.
Robert Schpok is an educational advocacy instructor in Illinois who has assisted parents to receive appropriate Special Education Services for their students at MDC/IEP meetings, manifest determination hearings and due process hearings: http://www.lawduck.com/Special_Edcuation.html
http://www.lawduck.com
Robert Schpok is an educational advocacy instructor in Illinois who has assisted parents to receive appropriate Special Education Services for their students at MDC/IEP meetings, manifest determination hearings and due process hearings.
