EDITORIAL: Thumbs Up: Derby school's suspensions drop

In the school year that ended in June 2010, 96 students were suspended at Derby Middle School. In the year that ended this June, only nine students were suspended, an 80 percent drop. This accompanied the middle school’s move out of the high school into its own building, revision of rules on who is subject to suspension and, most importantly, how the school deals with students who need discipline.

Out-of-school suspensions only apply to major offenses, such as assault and possession of drugs or weapons. In-school suspensions used to be served with students doing busy work. Now, they are sent to counseling sessions with teachers who have been trained in mediation.

During these sessions, student and teacher discuss how the suspension could have been avoided. The sessions give the student a chance to see the teacher’s point of view; and, the teacher the student’s perspective. Rather than discipline just being handed down, the suspensions have become an educational process. Students who get in trouble are learning to be responsible for their actions without constant adult monitoring.