Racial inequity has long been an issue in the educational system. In recent years, researchers and policy makers have begun to recognize the role of implicit bias in the disproportionate number of African American children who are suspended or expelled from school. Particular attention is being given to the use of exclusionary practices in early…

Disproportionate rates of suspensions and expulsions among racial/ethnic groups are a local, state, and national concern. Maryland has made significant progress in decreasing the use of exclusionary discipline, but there is substantial work left to do to move toward equity. Maryland has cut the use of exclusionary discipline practices by half in…

This guide is designed to supply educators with a means to identify whether racial/ethnic disproportionality in discipline practice exists in their schools or districts. It also aims to help educators use data to reduce racial/ethnic disproportionality in suspensions and expulsions. The guide is organized into two sections. The first section…

This study of Maryland State Department of Education data on K-12 public school students in Maryland for 2009/10, 2010/11, and 2011/12 examines whether exclusionary discipline (suspension and expulsion) is given out in a way that has a disproportionate impact on Black and other racial/ethnic minority students relative to White students, and on…

Discriminatory discipline practices in the nation's schools disproportionately impact students of color; students with emotional, behavioral, and cognitive disabilities; and youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ). Large numbers of these students are removed from class, lose opportunities to learn, and…

Well over three million children, K-12, are estimated to have lost instructional "seat time" in 2009-2010 because they were suspended from school, often with no guarantee of adult supervision outside the school. That's about the number of children it would take to fill every seat in every major league baseball park and every NFL stadium…

A review of the legal background of suspension and expulsion as they pertain to handicapped individuals and guidelines outlined by the landmark cases, S-1 v. Turlington and Kaelin v. Grubbs are cited. A discussion of critical issues still not addressed by statute, regulation, or litigation is also reviewed. (Author/CL)

A common disruption to learning and stability in schools occurs when pupils fight or become aggressive. This paper considers the issues of anger management, violence control and fighting reduction through a counselling programme with a high-risk pupil in secondary school. It begins by examining some of the thinking on young people and violence and…

Describes a successful disciplinary project that helps prevent delinquency through an organized in-school suspension and counseling program. (MD)

Notes that expulsion and suspension are incompatible with the goals of P.L. 94-142 and, therefore, are not available to schools as a discipline measure for special students. Outlines options the schools can create to deal with disruptive handicapped students. (IRT)

Handicapped children are not immune from a school's disciplinary rules but such children may have additional protection under Public Law 94-142. (Author/IRT)

Historically, public school officials have acted without consideration for due process in issuing grades to students, in excluding students from school for academic failure, and in lowering grades as a means of disciplining students. The constitutionality of these actions is challenged and recent court cases are reviewed. (Author/KC)

Discusses nine types of court approved disciplinary measures available to schools and teachers. These include detention and in-school suspension, corporal punishment, physical restraint, grade reduction, denial of extracurricular participation, and suspension and expulsion. Synopses of significant legal decisions covering the application of school…

This article examines the body of case law which has developed over the appropriate use of various timeout procedures (e.g., exclusion, seclusion/isolation) of students with behavior disorders. Seven guidelines for the legally correct application of timeout procedures are offered. (DB)

Federal regulation protects handicapped students' education against unwarranted interruption without specifying procedures for disciplining handicapped students. This article reviews court decisions in disciplinary cases and provides procedural guidelines to follow in disciplining handicapped students. (MD)