By Alex Zimmerman
After successfully pressing Mayor
Bill de Blasio to reduce the overall number of suspensions issued to New
York City students, advocates are focusing on a new target: reducing
the maximum length of suspensions — which can now last an entire school
year.
In the wake of new discipline data that continue to show stark divides — including a report that found black students often receive longer suspensions
than students from other racial groups for the same infractions —
advocates and a group of city councilors argue the city must adopt a
series of new reforms, including a cap on the length of suspensions to
20 days. Now, the education department is seriously considering a strict
cap on the number of days a student can be suspended.
“The biggest thing we can’t wrap our
head around is why you can suspend a student for 180 days,” said Tannya
Benavides, a fourth grade teacher and volunteer with Organizing for
Equity. The organization, which formed about a year ago, is conducting
door-knocking campaigns in districts with high suspension rates to help
create momentum for discipline reforms, including limits to the amount
of time students can be removed from their classrooms.
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Source: Chalkbeat
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