Despite Increase In Suspensions, Many Feel Schools Aren’t Safe. What More Can Be Done?

[TTL News 308]

According to an article at NewYorkUpstate.com, which compiled data from the New York State Department of Education, suspensions in Onondaga County have risen. And it would appear  many school districts throughout the state have reported a rise in student suspensions from 2019 numbers.
 

Here in Chemung County, two of the three school districts follow the same trend:

It's worth noting that in some districts the numbers have remained relatively flat or have even gone down. 

Yet despite this increase in disciplinary action, many are saying it's not enough. Just under a month into the school year, there are multiple accounts on social media of children being assaulted or otherwise made to feel threatened in schools throughout the area. Many people feel that schools aren’t as safe as they could or should be.

Question:

What is the cause for this increase? What more can schools do to make it safer for students and allow them to have a distraction free learning environment? What can parents do?

Have you or your child had any problems this year? How did you address it and what was the outcome?

**Note: The above screenshots were curated from this article. Speaking with the reporter, the information for this article came from the NYSED data site, found here.

[Ann 264]

Just my opinion but:  Cause -  lack of parental guidance.  Electronics have become built in babysitters, schools have to feed kids two meals a day because parents can’t/won’t provide for their kids.  Lack of respect, for self and others, something usually taught in the home.

What can schools do - expel the offenders, period.  Don’t worry about loss of State Aid.  Education is a free (except for school taxes) privilege in this Country, not free child care.  If you can’t respect that then you lose that privilege.  Parents need to be parents, not your child’s friend and stop blaming others for what you have/are failing to do in raising your child.

 

 

 

 

[Hal 341]

Chances are these .. 

Never mind , I think Ann put it better then I ever could ! And with my negative view on things right now nobody needs to read what I would post . 

[Chris 2,179]

I remember many years ago a former HS teacher of mine telling me he was retiring soon and couldn't wait. I must've asked why, or something along those lines, because his answer has stuck with me all these years:

"Do you remember the assholes you went to school with? They bred."

I could list off a number of reasons things are out of control, but that quote seems to sum it up best. To add to that problem though, is the fact that not only did those who were troublemakers in school have kids, they now have grandkids and the decline of civility and increasing disregard for education gets worse with each generation. A kid gets disciplined for telling a teacher to "f--k off" may result in a phone call home, but the parent just tells them the same thing. 

This isn't a matter of parents trying to be their kids friend. In many cases, they don't pay enough attention to them to do even that. So the kids are all but feral by the time they end up going to school.  

You'd have to see it to truly believe it. 

Unfortunately while the obvious choice, it's not so easy as to expel them and thing your nose at the state. when that funding is cut, where do you think the difference will be made up? There isn't a school administrator alive who is going to risk their salary to do that. So they do what everyone in the system does, from the superintendent on down, they do the best they can with what they have to work with, knowing in many cases it's futile, and hope they can reach a few kids at least. 

[Deb 2]

Suspending kids doesn't work. They treat it as a vacation. Team up with a service and all suspended kids need to spend the day learning how to express their feelings, deal with anger, not be a bully, deal with life. These things are not being taught at home so the community/schools need to step up unfortunately. 

[Chris 2,179]

3 minutes ago, Deb said:

Suspending kids doesn't work. They treat it as a vacation.

That's the truth!

4 minutes ago, Deb said:

Team up with a service and all suspended kids need to spend the day learning how to express their feelings, deal with anger, not be a bully, deal with life.

I was just thinking this morning, perhaps instead of a "vacation", maybe they need to institute "in school suspension" again ( if they don't still have it ). And use @Debs idea above to fill that time rather than having them stare at the wall all day long. And get them when they're young, because after a certain age, it could be too late.

You know, something I should have mentioned above is, some of these kids? They're scared, especially the little ones. You should hear the things they talk about happening in their homes, neighborhoods, etc. For most of us, that would be unimaginable, yet for them it's just a Tuesday evening. It's not their fault, we should remember that.

[Ann 264]

If my child was assaulted in school I’d press criminal charges against the abuser.  Speaking from experience.  Even in the 1990’s school officials wanted to cover or gloss over the problem.  EPD got everyone’s attention.

[Rod 18]

the shools have been sweeping this stuff under the rug for years now especially elmira

sometimes I wonder if the superintendant is even told whats going on in her buildings. 

[Adam 375]

On 10/6/2023 at 10:19 AM, Rod said:

I wonder if the superintendant is even told whats going on in her buildings. 

short of advancing/hindering her career; she certainly does not