By JasmineHughes
A Chicago student advocacy group is fed up with its school system’s zero-tolerance disciplinary policies and they decided to take action. The Voices of Youth in Chicago Education (VOYCE) rallied at Chicago Public Schools headquarters last Thursday with a report that demands that the district revise what it calls a ‘skewed set of regulations.’ They also demanded a meeting with the heads of the district.
The current rules are strict. According to a report by the Chicago Sun Times, one student was arrested and taken to the police station for writing his name on a desk and others have been suspended for offenses like bringing cell phones to school or not wearing parts of their uniforms.
WBEZ reports:
The gist of the zero tolerance policy is that CPS students can get suspended or expelled if they “seriously disrupt the orderly educational process.” What exactly “seriously disrupting” means is up to teachers’ and schools’ discretion, but in theory the policy is designed to keep schools safe from violence and drugs.
But the students say t he rules are overly harsh and CPS has a tilted approach. According to the Chicago Tribune, CPS spent 15 times more on school-based security guards last year than on college and career counselors: $51.4 million versus $3.5 million.
VOYCE is calling on CPS to end the overuse of costly, ineffective harsh disciplinary policies, and instead make smart investments in the policies needed to build safe, supportive and engaging learning environments. They claim that it’s the right thing for students, families and taxpayers alike.
Their recommendations include:
◆ Eliminate regulations that call for suspensions for minor offenses that do not threaten student safety, like tardiness, bringing a cell phone to school or violating dress code.
◆ Require principals to get district approval for suspensions of over five days, to ensure district-wide uniformity.
The Chicago News Cooperative also reports that CPS officials say expulsion rates have fallen more than 28 percent in the last two years, and that they expect suspension rates to decrease as well. The district has yet to respond to the students’ request for a meeting with school board leaders.
