BBCHS aiming to reduce suspensions

BRADLEY — With 180 suspensions given last school year, Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School used the disciplinary measure more often than at least 80% of Illinois schools.

With a population of about 2,000 students, BBCHS was identified as being in the top 20% of schools most often using “exclusionary discipline,” where students are removed from the learning environment through suspensions or expulsions.

Schools on the top 20% list are required to submit a discipline improvement plan to the Illinois State Board of Education. The plan must be approved by the district board, placed on the district website and submitted to ISBE by Feb. 1.

The BBCHS School Board approved a disciplinary improvement plan for District 307 earlier this month.

Principal Evan Tingley said the school has been on the state’s top 20% list a couple of times. The school is on track to give out roughly the same number of suspensions in the current school year as it did last year, when 180 suspensions were given.

“We don’t love suspending kids,” he said. “A little over 98% of our kids never get suspended.”

Though suspensions are not the solution for every situation, they are still sometimes necessary, Tingley said.

“Kids also don’t like to be suspended, and they do think twice before they do something that will get them suspended,” he said.

Suspensions that last for more than one day are typically only given in two situations — bringing cannabis to school or fighting.

“We’re not out there suspending kids for being tardy in class,” Tingley said. “We’re suspending kids for things that we think really matter, and we think keep our school safe.”

The discipline improvement plan includes promoting alternative, restorative and proactive approaches to address student behavior. Restorative practices are meant to address conflicts and behavioral issues through mediation, reflection and accountability rather than exclusion.

“We’re going to work really, really hard to be proactive on the front end to get that number down,” Tingley said. “At the end of the day, I think we’re all in agreement, we’re going to keep a high standard on those types of incidents at BBCHS.”

Superintendent Matt Vosberg noted that the state’s requirement to submit a discipline improvement plan came from Senate Bill 100 regarding student discipline, which has been the source of some controversy.

“It would be like telling police officers to reduce the number of arrests,” Vosberg said. “That usually doesn’t work out long term. Not in our school, but in other schools, they have been trying to reduce suspension numbers, but the discipline is getting worse.”

Teachers’ unions have spoken out against the bill, contending that it focuses on reducing the number of suspensions rather than promoting a safe learning environment. Meanwhile, politicians have been arguing on behalf of their constituents for the need to keep students in school.

Vosberg said the goal to keep students in school is important, but maintaining a safe learning environment comes first.

“We have high expectations for student behavior, and we think that being consistent with high expectations is the best way to reduce suspensions,” he said.

https://daily-journal.com/news/local/bbchs-aiming-to-reduce-suspensions/article_dd8d9976-c483-11ef-872e-cb8521b632b3.html