Challenging The Effectiveness Of School Suspension Practices

Hugo van Dijk

4 min read

Post on May 02, 2025

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The Negative Impact of School Suspension on Academic Performance

School suspension significantly impacts a student's academic journey, often leading to a downward spiral of missed opportunities and diminished achievement.

Increased Absenteeism and Lower Grades

Suspension directly translates to lost instructional time. Students miss crucial lessons, fall behind their peers, and struggle to catch up on missed assignments. This leads to:

• Missed crucial lessons and tests: This loss of instructional time can be substantial, particularly for students already struggling academically.
• Difficulty catching up on missed work: The volume of missed work can be overwhelming, leading to feelings of frustration and discouragement.
• Negative impact on GPA: Consistent absences and incomplete assignments directly contribute to a lower grade point average, impacting future educational opportunities.

Long-Term Effects on Educational Attainment

The consequences of school suspension extend far beyond a single missed week of school. Research indicates a strong correlation between suspension and:

• Increased dropout rates: Students who are frequently suspended are significantly more likely to drop out of school before graduation.
• Decreased educational opportunities: A lower GPA and higher absenteeism can severely limit access to advanced courses, scholarships, and college opportunities.
• Reduced lifetime earnings: Lack of high school completion and higher education directly translates to lower earning potential throughout a student's life. The economic consequences of school suspension are far-reaching and long-lasting.

School Suspension's Role in the School-to-Prison Pipeline

School suspension contributes significantly to the school-to-prison pipeline, a disturbing trend where students are funneled from disciplinary actions in schools directly into the criminal justice system.

Disproportionate Discipline of Marginalized Students

Statistics consistently reveal racial and socioeconomic disparities in school suspension rates. Students of color, particularly Black students, are suspended at significantly higher rates than their white peers, even when controlling for other factors. This disparity highlights the role of:

• Implicit bias in disciplinary actions: Unconscious biases can influence disciplinary decisions, leading to harsher punishments for students from marginalized communities.
• The cycle of suspension leading to criminal justice involvement: Repeated suspensions can lead to increased contact with law enforcement, escalating the risk of involvement in the juvenile justice system.

The Lack of Educational Support for Suspended Students

Suspension often means a complete lack of educational support and opportunities for skill development. Instead of addressing underlying issues, suspension frequently exacerbates existing problems by:

• Lack of access to tutoring: Suspended students miss out on crucial support that could help them catch up on missed work.
• Absence of counseling and mentoring: Students facing behavioral challenges often lack access to the mental health and social-emotional support they need.
• Limited alternative education programs: Many schools lack robust alternative education programs designed to support students who are struggling behaviorally.

More Effective Alternatives to School Suspension

Fortunately, more effective and equitable alternatives to school suspension exist, focusing on prevention, positive behavior support, and restorative practices.

Restorative Justice Practices

Restorative justice approaches prioritize repairing harm caused by misbehavior, focusing on accountability, reconciliation, and community building. Examples include:

• Mediation: Bringing involved parties together to discuss the impact of the misbehavior and find solutions.
• Conflict resolution circles: Facilitated discussions that involve the student, peers, and school staff to address conflicts constructively.
• Restorative conferences: Formal meetings to address harm and develop a plan for repairing relationships and preventing future incidents.

Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS)

PBIS is a proactive framework that focuses on preventing misbehavior through:

• School-wide expectations: Clearly defined and consistently enforced expectations for behavior.
• Data-driven decision making: Using data to identify areas for improvement and track the effectiveness of interventions.
• Tiered interventions: Providing varying levels of support to meet the individual needs of students.

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)

SEL programs equip students with the social and emotional skills necessary to navigate challenging situations and make responsible decisions. This includes:

• Self-regulation techniques: Strategies to manage emotions and impulses.
• Empathy development: Understanding and sharing the feelings of others.
• Responsible decision-making skills: Weighing consequences and making choices that align with personal and community values.

Conclusion: Rethinking School Suspension and Embracing Positive Alternatives

School suspension is an ineffective disciplinary measure that negatively impacts academic performance, perpetuates the school-to-prison pipeline, and disproportionately affects marginalized students. Restorative justice, PBIS, and SEL offer powerful alternatives that promote positive behavior, create supportive school climates, and ultimately lead to better outcomes for all students. We must advocate for changes in school disciplinary practices and support the implementation of these more effective, positive alternatives to school suspension. Research your local school's policies on school suspension and become an advocate for change. Let's work together to create schools where all students can thrive.