One 6-year-old Denver student told his pregnant teacher he was going to kick her to kill her unborn baby. A first-grader tried to stab her teacher in the eye with a sharpened pencil. Another young child threw a classmate against a brick wall and gave her a concussion.
Such jaw-dropping incidents — detailed in dozens of comments submitted to Denver Public Schools in recent months — illustrate the tightrope walk district officials face as they consider a policy change that would dramatically curb suspensions and expulsions of preschool through third-grade students.
Advocates hail the proposal as a key step toward early childhood discipline reform and a way to combat the disproportionate use of harsh discipline tactics on young boys of color. But many educators are wary — saying that the district already provides too little help in managing the most explosive young students and that the new policy will only exacerbate the problem.
The policy, scheduled for a school board vote Monday, would reserve suspensions of preschool through third-grade students for “only the most severe behaviors impacting staff or student safety” and they would be limited to one day. Expulsions would be allowed only if young students bring guns to school.
Debate about the district’s new policy comes as school districts nationwide grapple with efforts to reduce racial and gender disparities in early childhood discipline, and a few months after state legislation to reduce suspensions and expulsions in preschool through second grade died in a Senate committee.
At a Denver school board meeting last month, at least a dozen people spoke in favor of the district’s proposed changes, including two state representatives, as well as leaders from the Denver NAACP, the Urban League, Democrats for Education Reform, and the advocacy groups Padres & Jovenes Unidos and Advocacy Denver.
They argued that suspensions don’t work to change bad behavior, that they set children back academically and increase the risk of future suspensions.
But a number of educators — even those who support the move philosophically — are skeptical.
Pam Shamburg, executive director of the Denver Classroom Teachers Association, said she worries the proposal is an example of district officials adopting a stance that “looks wonderful but doesn’t put the appropriate supports in place.”
“I have some trepidation about DPS always wanting to be the first and a ground-breaker without thinking about how it affects the classroom,” she said.
In response to an open records request from Chalkbeat, DPS provided 66 comments — with names, school names and contact information redacted — received through a special email address for public feedback about the proposed policy.
Most respondents were district staff, a few were parents and one was a district official from Pittsburgh, which is considering a moratorium on suspensions for preschool to second grade students.
Only a handful of the 66 commenters favored the proposed policy change, which would take effect for the coming school year.
One parent wrote, “As a father of two current DPS Black male students, I am writing to support the proposed policy … The current practice/policy is out of sync with the mission of DPS.”
A school psychologist also wrote in support, saying, “In much the same way that we wouldn’t attempt to expel a student who lacked essential academic knowledge or skill, we should not attempt to expel young students who lack essential behavioral knowledge or skill.”
More often, educators expressed anger, frustration and disappointment over the proposal — painting a picture of teachers, students and sometimes whole schools at the mercy of a few violent young students.
One third grade teacher wrote, “Students have no fear of breaking rules. I have had students who attack others regularly, throw chairs at students’ heads, punch students and teachers in the face, choke others, stab at necks with fists full of pencils, curse violently, run out of the school, elaborate on their plans to harm others at the school or get them to commit suicide — and those are just my students.”
Eldridge Greer, the district’s associate chief for student equity and opportunity, said the proposed changes are targeted at eliminating suspensions for children whose behavior is “in some ways more irritating than threatening.” Children who show extremely violent or aggressive behavior could still be suspended, he said.
In the 2015-16 school year, the district suspended about 500 kids in preschool through third grade. None were expelled.
A number of DPS staff members who provided written comments said current practices — including regular lessons on social and emotional skills and efforts to use restorative justice — don’t work in the most extreme cases.
A second grade teacher wrote, “These ‘restorative’ conversations lead absolutely no where and have close to zero effect as the same students are continuing to repeat these same behaviors and they become more extreme and regular.”
But district officials say a new infusion of cash approved by voters last November will provide extra help to educators — in the form of extra staff or other services devoted to students’ mental health and social and emotional needs
Greer said $11 million from the district’s mill levy will be divvied among schools based on enrollment, number of low-income students and other factors. Principals will be able to pay school social workers, counselors or psychologists to work additional days, partner with local mental health organizations or propose other ideas, he said.
Three-quarters of district schools would receive $30,000 or more from the $11 million pot.
Shamburg said on a per-school basis it’s not much money.
Greer said, “I think it is a good chunk of support when you think an average elementary school may be able to increase by one, two or three days of mental health coverage.”
Some commenters on the proposed policy urged the district to create new specialized programs for the most challenging children or find such slots outside the district. A couple commenters who previously worked in other districts voiced their surprise at the lack of social and emotional help available in their DPS schools.
A former Aurora teacher gave a plug for universal mental health screenings. Others urged smaller class sizes and more recess time.
Some commenters — including a school social worker and school psychologist — reported instances of school staff not reporting or misreporting discipline cases to make their schools’ rates look better, and expressed concern that the practice will persist under the new policy.
District spokeswoman Nancy Mitchell said of the assertions, “We’re not doubting that people are telling us their experiences when they give us comments.”
Greer said the district holds monthly trainings to help administrators implement the district’s discipline policy and document discipline incidents. The district also works with Padres and Advocacy Denver to address parent concerns about inappropriate discipline reporting.
A district special education teacher wrote of mixed feelings about the proposed early childhood discipline policy: “I am happy that DPS is nationally recognized but I hope this recognition does not come at the expense of scared children, injured children and hopeless staff and personnel.”
Originally posted on Chalkbeat by Ann Schimke on June 16, 2017
Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.
Photo by Oteo, via Creative Commons license, Flickr
Let’s not forget that the “cash” that is “divvied” up is NOT equitable as far as charter schools and neighborhood schools. Charter schools clean the public when it comes to money, but charter school clean their private when it comes to accountability. My God Denver parents open your eyes.
Charter schools now get the mil money (because of recent charter school equalization legislation) but they have far less–FAR LESS–oversight than neighborhood schools. Boasburg exaggerates when he says DPS charter schools share accountability. I would like to know why I have heard that principals in various innovation and charter schools threaten their teachers to inflate kids’ grades so that there is no question about the effectiveness of their special programming. Why? Inflate kids grades in these special schools and there is no root to uncover.
Well let’s have that new equalization legislation ramp up needed accountability, by making sure every charter and innovation school (by the way Denver, innovation implies destruction) staff a full-time person ready to answer any questions about waivers for this PK through grade 2 restorative practice initiative. We’ll see.
Let’s make sure the gd charter schools have to use the money in the exact same way–no waivers!!!
Similarly, let’s make sure that any restorative practices expected of teachers and schools, are expected of parents who are in the “trial.” This means you DSS tea party. If you aren’t having problems with these kinds of tantrums, then you don’t deserve the money!
I say DSS tea party because Denver public schools is controlled by DFERs (note the reference above), that is Democrats who are privatizers. Don’t be fooled ANYMORE Denver. NO MORE. And the worst of them is “Democrat” Mike Johnston who wants to be our governor. Ugh.
There is no way that these practices are going to work in a school classroom of little kids, if the parents aren’t implementing the same just practices in the home. No way!
Where does a little child learn these behaviors: stabbing, throwing, lying, threatening, screaming, kicking, hurting? Don’t blame television or Internet, blame need!!! Need. Needy parents. The parents in the schools need as much help as their student, so get off your hypocritical, half-assed, holier-than-every-other-district, you-say-“reform”-but-we-know-you’re-a-bunch-of greedy-privatizers horse, Denver public-schools, and put the money at the root of these problems. Not in a charter for a lesson in rah-rah.
Forbid the charter schools from getting any of the mil if they aren’t willing (and they’ll claim waivers that they don’t have to do it) to do the work of training needy parents in THEIR homes, in these restorative practices!!
Make all DPS charter schools, Innovation schools, and blah-blah schools use this new money in the exact same way as the schools from where these (most likely exaggerated reports, so that new monies can come into DPS) reports emerge. No lessons on “God fear” in DSST. No siphoning of this money to pay for lessons in rigor and grit at STRIVE. No purchasing of leopard paws, or doggy spots, or elephant ears, for prizes in some lame PBIS system at International School of Broadway. No morality crap at KIPP so they can continue THEIR cruel practices using my money.
USE THE MONEY for the same purposes at every single building in the school district. And have some accountability–I want reporting.
Safe schools are the schools our students deserve, especially in Denver Pub–Private Schools.
Corrections.
Let’s not forget that the “cash” that is “divvied” up is NOT equitable as far as charter schools and neighborhood schools. Charter schools claim they’re public when it comes to money, but charter school claim they’re private when it comes to accountability. My God Denver parents open your eyes.
Charter schools now get the mil money (because of recent charter school equalization legislation) but they have far less–FAR LESS–oversight than neighborhood schools. Boasburg exaggerates when he says DPS charter schools share accountability, when he says charter schools have to take the same tests, when he says charter schools have to use money is the same way neighborhood schools do. I would like to know why I have heard that principals in various innovation and charter schools threaten their teachers to inflate kids’ grades so that there is no question about the effectiveness of their special programming. Why? Inflate kids grades in these special schools and there is no root to uncover.
Well let’s have that new equalization legislation ramp up needed accountability, by making sure every charter and innovation school (by the way Denver, innovation implies destruction) staff a full-time person ready to answer any questions about waivers for this PK through grade 2 restorative practice initiative. That’s part of the new law. We’ll see.
Let’s make sure the gd charter schools have to use the money in the exact same way–no waivers!!!
Similarly, let’s make sure that any restorative practices expected of teachers and schools are expected of parents who are in the “trial.” This means you DSS tea party. (Remember the $20,000,000 fraud accusations leveled at you?) If you aren’t having problems with these kinds of tantrums, then you don’t deserve the money!
I say DSS tea party because Denver public schools is controlled by DFERs (note the reference to Democrats for Education Reform, above), that is Democrats who are privatizers. Don’t be fooled ANYMORE Denver. NO MORE. And the worst of them DFERs is “Democrat” Mike Johnston who wants to be our governor. Ugh.
There is no way that these practices are going to work in a school classroom of little kids, if the parents aren’t implementing the same just practices in the home. No way!
Where does a little child learn these behaviors: stabbing, throwing, lying, threatening, screaming, kicking, hurting? Don’t blame television or Internet, blame need!!! Need. Needy parents. The parents in the schools need as much help as their student, so get off your hypocritical, half-assed, holier-than-every-other-district, Emily-Griifith-would-be-ashamed-of-you-for-your-racist-policies, you-say-“reform”-but-we-know-you’re-a-bunch-of greedy-privatizers horse, Denver public-schools, and put the $11M at the root of these problems. Not in a charter for a lesson in rah-rah. Restorative justice practices are lessons in humility, not lessons in how I’m better than everybody else.
Make all DPS charter schools, Innovation schools, and blah-blah schools use this new money in the exact same way as the schools from where these (most likely exaggerated reports, so that new monies can come into DPS) reports emerge. No lessons on “God fear” in DSST. No siphoning of this money to pay for lessons in “rigor” and “grit” at STRIVE. No purchasing of leopard paws, or doggy spots, or elephant ears, for prizes in some lame, only-winners-keep-winning PBIS system at International School of Brown Academy-ville.
Forbid the gd charter schools from getting any of the mil if they aren’t willing (and they’ll claim waivers that they don’t have to do it) to do the work of training needy parents in THEIR homes, in these restorative practices!!
USE THE $30k for the same purposes at every single building in the school district. And have some accountability–I want reporting. I want testimonials in video form from children of all colors, all genders, all ages and across the district delivered. Through some means other than self-serving DPS TV. From every single school that gets the 30 K. Period.