Administrative support often isn’t there
Teachers Have Power to Control Classroom But Support From Above is Key
Dear Editor,
Maybe it’s summer and the heat, but it’s one of the few times I’ve agreed with just about every word in Cynthia Walker’s June 30 opinion piece. Her comments concerning the Gilroy Unified School District’s abeyance in computer purchases, analysis of software programs, math curriculum and high school discipline couldn’t have been better said.
Regarding the discipline issue, there should be no reason for discipline problems in public schools. The California Education Code provides teachers the ability to remove disruptive students immediately for two consecutive days. If all teachers followed these EC provisions, discipline problems would surely disappear.
Simply put, a disruptive student is suspended by the teacher to the principal’s office for that day and the day following. The student cannot by law return before the second day unless the teacher allows it. This is problem #1, as many administrators violate the law by sending the disruptive student back to class telling teachers, “There is nowhere to put them.” Yes there is, it’s called telephoning parents to pick up their suspended child and taking them home, or keeping the student in the principal’s office, or sending the student to a specifically designated on-campus suspension class.
The teacher must have a conference with the student’s parents/guardians and site administrator as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the student may return before the conference takes place. This is problem #2, as the disruptive student is back again and no parent meeting might have occurred prior to re-entry to class.
The site administration cannot minimize teacher “two-day” suspensions. The district must tell parents that improper behavior prevents other students from learning, and that they must provide parenting skills to eliminate this educational disruption. This is problem #3, as many parents never have that parent-to-child conversation.
The law stipulates that districts begin expulsion procedures once a student has been suspended by the district for 20 days. District suspensions are different from teacher suspensions. This is problem #4. Classroom teachers can suspend students an unlimited number of times, but some administrators convince teachers not to suspend as these are reported on the School Accountability Report Card. Too many suspensions implies poor leadership.
EC provides that each school develop its own discipline plan and strategies through the School Site Council (SSC). Discipline plans should be reviewed annually but not less than once every four years. These plans cannot be inconsistent with district policy nor usurp EC provisions. This is problem #5 as most SSCs rarely delve into discipline; rather, they leave it up to site administrators to determine and implement discipline procedures.
If teachers simply follow EC, and the district supports strong school site disciplinary plans and follows the law, no teacher will need to take lion taming training, and the circus will leave town.
Dale Morejón, Gilroy
