Speak Up: Should students' suspensions be served in school or out of school?

The Delaware General Assembly’s Student Behavior and School Climate Task Force has been discussing suspension as a punishment option for students, as well as whether serving them in school or away from school is most beneficial. Do you think this type of discipline works? Are there better choices when it comes to penalizing misbehavior?

• In school. Start there, then next is parental problems! Don’t come at me with parents not being there and so on! I’m well aware! But the school has done all it’s allowed to do! You birthed the human, not the school! You chose your path, not the school! These are paid employees (their actual jobs!), not their household! If you, as a parent, can’t handle your child, then that’s your problem! One chance for in-school suspension … yes! After that, parents’ problem! Get the problems out of the schools after that! They’ll figure it out on their own! — Casey Parker
• It doesn’t matter if it is in or out of school, as long as the response to the student’s behavior is accompanied by meaningful intervention. The student must learn how to handle challenging situations in a new way. New behaviors must be taught and reinforced, and ongoing support and coaching must be provided by a qualified individual. There must be ongoing follow-up after the suspension. Behavior must be monitored, again with ongoing support. The environment must be a safe and supportive instructional setting, regardless of where the student has “suspension.” Otherwise, nothing will change for the better, and there is no point. — Jo-Ann Malfitano Baca
• Does it matter? The overwhelming majority of schools aren’t punishing bad behavior like they used to anyway, which has perpetuated our problems. — Jason Jeandell
• They should start in school. If, after the third suspension, the student does not self-correct, then they should require a mental health evaluation outside of school. Every suspension (that is not tied to an Individualized Education Program) after the evaluation should be served in a separate facility. The main issue with in-school suspension is that 90% of teachers do not send the students work for them to do. Then, these suspensions become nap fests, or they get into additional trouble. If, after 10 suspensions, there is no change, then parents should be required to sit in the in-school suspension with the student. — Diane Butters-Eastburn
• Make it out of school, and let the parents babysit them for the day. Otherwise, the parents won’t know anything about their child’s behavior. — David Givens
• As a retired teacher, let the parents be responsible for the kid. If they have to lose a day’s pay to deal with issues that they should have taught the child, then let them deal with it! In-school suspensions for minor violations; out-of-school suspensions for major or repeat violations. Expel them if they continue to be a problem for the educational venue. — Howard Gaines III