Examination of Suspensions

            Examining the use of out-of-school suspensions: What are the alternatives?.
             Removal from the school environment as a form of student discipline is certainly not a recent development. Over the last fifty years education has undergone some major changes in the way in which teachers deliver the prescribed curriculum. Education has become student-centered, has been influenced by technology, changes in society, and has become much more inclusive. Yet despite the advances that have come to us, there remain remnants of outdated philosophies and styles that do not serve those whom we strive to reach. It must be stated here that there are clearly examples of student misbehaviour that warrant the need for the temporary removal from the mainstream education setting. These include violent behaviours that clearly put the safety of the student in question and other members of the school community at risk. However there must be an examination of alternative methods of encouraging more acceptable social behaviour. The goal must be to increase acceptable behaviour whi!.
             le at the same time maximizing an at-risk students opportunity to maintain his or her time in a learning environment. School-based administrators must strive to find other methods than out-of-school suspensions when behaviours do need to be dealt with. At the same time they must be proactive in working together with staff, students, and community partners in establishing a school climate and culture which values diversity, acceptance, and tolerance and promotes social responsibility. Suspension from the school setting is clearly not a vehicle that teaches social responsibility. We need to re-evaluate the message that we as teaching and learning organizations are sending to our at-risk kids. We talk passionately of the importance of getting an education, but we choose to withhold that from the students who may need it the most.
             According to Maag (2001) there exists a punishment mentality that has been evolving since biblical times as is noted by the proverb "spare the rod spoil the child".