School districts looking to change the way they handle student discipline
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - With another school year just around the corner, school districts are focused on how to handle student behavior.
Many schools are changing their approach.
Many think students in schools today are acting out or behaving in ways at school their parents or grandparents never would have, but educators are more nuanced in their analysis.
"I think there is a common conversation about the fact that teachers are experiencing more concerns around behavior in their day-to-day work," according to Dr. Leanna Lawson, behavioral psychologist at Allegheny Intermediate Unit.
Unacceptable behavior includes students mouthing off, even swearing at teachers and administrators, fighting with classmates verbally or physically, disrupting classroom instruction, and even violence on school grounds, but is it something new?
"Is it significantly different prior to Covid? Probably not," says Shaler Area Superintendent Dr. Sean Aiken.
Dr. Aiken, like most educators KDKA spoke with, is reluctant to say it's worse than ever, but acknowledges some changes in student behavior.
"I do think there are some significant challenges with mental health. I do think we have seen some students acting out in different ways."
"Schools are a microcosm of society, and we see the lack of respect for authority throughout the world. That carries over. That's what students see. They see it at home. They see it in their communities, and it carries over into the schools," says Dr. Linda Hippert of Point Park University.
Dr. Hippert says parents raise children differently today, and school discipline is different, too. Paddling is outlawed in Pennsylvania, and suspension, unless required for safety, is disfavored by many, like attorney Deborah Kleher, who says discipline is applied unfairly.
"We know because we have the data that Black and brown students, students with disabilities, and LGBTQ youth are disproportionately disciplined in school," Kleher said.
As a consequence, school discipline is now often focused on something called restorative practices and PBIS, Positive Behavior Interventions, and Supports.
"You can punish behavior all you want, and it doesn't typically change behavior. So, we want to be teaching, modeling, reinforcing, practicing, and reteaching skills, and behavior skills," Lawson added.
Of course, it's a mix at many schools, with detention and suspension still on the table, along with consequences students dislike, such as not participating in sports, extracurriculars, school dances, and even graduation ceremonies.
"We're always looking for different ways to teach students what our expectations are, defining those expectations, and helping them," Dr. Aiken said.
Just as the nature of student behavior in school has changed, so have the ways to correct, minimize, and, if necessary, discipline that behavior, hopefully making this coming year safer and more productive for everyone.