A former colleague is a principal and she has a problem. She has a student with behavioral issues which include shouting, pushing and non-violent aggression, and in general he interrupts and even halts most of his classes. He also has an IEP and when she met with the parents after one incident, they made clear that their advocacy for him would include litigation should she do almost anything. Over the last two years, around 50 students have left the school citing specifically this student's negative effect on learning and/or fears of potential violence.
I was reminded of this conversation when I read the article about the schools which resort to in-school suspensions or lesson removals. Schools are in an impossible position and parents and child "advocates" too often take advantage of this. In essence, the argument is one of the rights of the few versus the rights of the many or where to draw the line. Or perhaps my right to party against your right to sleep.
The complicating factor for schools is threefold. Firstly, students with IEPs for whatever reason require additional resources which they do not have. I remember attending a seminar where a principal claimed he had a student whose additional needs cost the school the equivalent of 12 student-fundings however the state provided only two. After paying for overheard, building costs etc he had four student-fundings available per class, so this one student consumed what he had for program from almost three classes if they were full and if everyone attended every day. Financially, these students can really affect a school.
Secondly, teachers and other adults in the building often or almost always lack the training and/or temprament to deal with these students. And if they can manage Student A, they cannot do so for Students B, C, D and E. As a result, even on esuch student can and does lead to faculty departures.
Thirdly, schools need active, involved and interested parents who are exactly the parents who take their child(ren) and go elsewhere. As my colleague learned, they do.
I don't know the answer to this question but I do know it is not simple. However at some point the line needs to be drawn and that is the discussion we are not having. When does one persons's rights end and the rights of everyone else begin?
**Please leave comments and questions below.**
Further Reading
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/09/us/students-disabilities-informal-removal.html
https://www.specialeducationtoday.com/p/the-popular-press-on-informal-suspensions
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