As of late, numerous states are striving to enact legislation that would provide teachers with additional authority to remove students from class due to misbehavior. Nevertheless, certain education specialists caution that such measures could potentially have harmful consequences on the students themselves.
In response to a surge in behavior problems during the pandemic, Alabama has recently passed a law that establishes new guidelines for removing students from classes. This move puts Alabama in the ranks of other states that have also tightened their policies towards students. The Alabama State House’s decision reflects a growing concern among educators and parents alike regarding the need for a more structured and orderly learning environment.
Alabama lawmakers have passed SB157, also known as the Teachers Bill of Rights, which is now awaiting Governor Kay Ivey’s signature. Once signed, it will go into effect for the upcoming school year.
Previously, managers held the authority to suspend or remove students, not educators, as per the law.
Over the last year, a number of states, such as Virginia and West Virginia, have either passed or introduced laws akin to Alabama’s. These laws allow teachers to remove students from the classroom if they believe their behavior is disruptive.
Many experts in the field of education are expressing concern about the effectiveness of removing students from class as a means of discipline. They argue that this approach fails to address the underlying causes of the students’ misbehavior, and contributes to the troubling phenomenon known as the “school-to-prison pipeline.” Furthermore, evidence suggests that this form of discipline has disproportionately impacted Black students in the past.
According to Richard Welsh, an associate professor of education and public policy at Vanderbilt University, Alabama’s recent actions are consistent with many other states’ responses to the pandemic. In order to protect teachers, states have been implementing stricter regulations while simultaneously allowing for more flexibility.
Teachers are reaching a breaking point.
The largest teacher’s union in Alabama, the Alabama Education Association, advocated for the majority of the legislation. The union cited instances of verbal and physical abuse towards teachers in the classroom due to disruptions by students, and claimed that school officials have not taken sufficient action to address this issue.
Lawmakers were informed by member teachers that they have reached a breaking point due to disruptive students who are causing a waste of valuable instructional time, as reported by The Alabama Reflector.
As per the report, a teacher was attacked by a student who had left the school due to the lack of action taken by the authorities. The incident took place in the classroom.
As lawmakers listened, a teacher shared, “Dozens of stories just like this one, I could tell you.”
Between 2019 and 2022, 41 states passed a total of 151 bills related to discipline, according to the study.
NewsNation received insights from various education experts who revealed that some states are attempting to eliminate or have already eliminated restorative justice policies in favor of stricter laws.
The pandemic has led to a surge in disruptive behavior within classrooms across schools nationwide. Teachers are struggling to effectively manage such students.
According to Rachel M. Perera, a fellow at the Brown Center on Education Policy at Brookings Institute, the return to school has been a challenging time for students. She believes that they have missed out on crucial face-to-face interactions where they learn valuable skills such as how to adapt to the school environment, manage their restlessness, and cope with difficult situations.
