The school discipline story is often told in hard numbers: the 400,000 California students suspended every year, the 20% of students suspended by some school districts. Now a new play puts a human face on the impact of harsh discipline rules. The world premiere play ZERO from Cornerstone Theater Company features real-life stories from Sacramento ... Read More
The walls at Theodore Roosevelt High School in Boyle Heights are painted with bright-red reminders of the future president and his famous charge up San Juan Hill. Now students and educators there are leading a new charge: for positive behavior support. The 90-year-old school is set to become a pioneer as it prepares to adopt ... Read More
A trial of their peers is one way students at Richmond High School take the issue of fixing school discipline into their hands. This and other new approaches to school discipline have cut the local district’s student suspensions in half over a six year period. In the 2004-05 academic year, suspensions totaled 14,421. By 2010-11, ... Read More
You may be aware that students with disabilities, like ADHD and other behavioral or emotional diagnoses, find it challenging to meet basic classroom behavioral expectations. Unfortunately, there is little research on ADHD and ethnicity, but according to Heather Jones, assistant professor of clinical psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University, studies suggest that “teachers generally perceive African American ... Read More
Meet Claudia: She was suspended from various schools. After being suspended several times for being late or engaging in verbal fights because others made fun of her, Claudia left the school. At 12 years old, this young woman witnessed the murder of his sister. She needed help, but no one offered. You can read more about the new educational revolution in Latino Voices to help students like Claudia.
California legislators have taken a major step toward fixing harsh school discipline rules. On April 11, Education committees in the state Assembly and Senate passed seven separate bills that address some of the most serious problems. They heard powerful testimony from students, parents, educators, law enforcement, academics, and youth advocates about the need to change ... Read More