In its
efforts to control school climate and maintain discipline, some schools have
become over zealous and find themselves on the wrong side of what they believe
is right. A Charter school in Colorado
A nine year
old girl who wanted to support her friend and classmate with her battle with
cancer, shaved all of her hair to makes sure her friend would not feel isolated
and teased for her hair loss due to chemotherapy. Instead of praising the little girl for her
act of sensitivity, empathy and maturity, the school suspended the little for
violation of the schools “dress code[i].”
When
notified of the suspension, the parent contacted the school and informed the
school her daughter wasn’t trying to violate school policy, her daughter wanted
to support her friend. Unfortunately, the
school upheld the decision to suspend.
It wasn’t until the incident reached the attention of the local media
that action was taken to reverse the suspension. The Charter school board voted 3-1 to
overturn the suspension and allow the little girl to “be an exception” to the
dress code policy[ii].
The rise in
the number of innocuous incidents that result in suspension and/or expulsion
demonstrates that school leaders are looking to punish instead of changing
behaviors. When a school moves to
suspend and expel a kindergarten student for turning his finger into a gun and
make a shooting sound, why not use that incident as a “teachable” moment and
address the behavior with the whole class and discuss why you shouldn’t make
your hand a gun?
Every
parent would like their child’s school to be a place where learning occurs,
positive climate and where there are rules and consequences for violation of
the rules (student discipline).
However, student discipline should have some flexibility and not
categorize every act by a student as an intentional attempt to violate school
rules; especially at the kindergarten and elementary school level.
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