New code of conduct for schools
by Lori Barrett | June 6, 2008 at 6:01 am
Posted in Baltimore, education
Are administrators in the Baltimore City school system finally moving in the right direction?
A new code of conduct will be implemented next year — one which focuses more on preventing violence. Currently when students skip school, they are sent home for suspension. (Counterintuitive, no?) Under the new code, the students will receive an in-school suspension as well as mentoring and parental notifications — an attempt to prevent dropouts and crime.
In the 2006-2007 school year, 14,233 short-term suspensions of up to five days but only 657 in-school suspensions were given to students as punishment. Although the suspended students were sent home with work, the schools chief feels that the policy “impedes learning.”
Also under the new code, resources such as mental health counseling, conflict resolution, and anger management will be made available to violent kids.
An education director from the ACLU said of the policy: “It stresses keeping kids in school rather than a knee-jerk reaction to kick kids out.”
So it’s definitely a step in the right direction, but do you think it’s enough to change the climate of Baltimore City schools?
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June 6th, 2008 at 2:25 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
One thing that surprised me upon moving to Baltimore recently is that the public schools don't have a uniform policy. In Arizona, many of the public school districts have had a uniform policy for the last several years. It is mainly elementary and some middle schools that have uniforms (generally blue or khaki pants/shorts/skirts and white or blue shirts). Studies have shown the level of incidents, particularly violent incidents, have gone down in schools following a uniform policy. Definitely something I would encourage the city to look at. Additionally, many stores have sales on the uniform style clothes so it's not sommething that will hit the pocketbook of the parents.
June 6th, 2008 at 4:49 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
Studies have shown...well, anything you want them to show really.
Also...Baltimore City does have a uniform policy...at least I think they do at the elementary school level.
It's more difficult with older kids...development dictates that around age 10-12, kids begin trying to figure out where they fit outside of the family unit. Clothing is a huge part of that. And most of the time kids will find a way to stand-out or identify as individuals regardless of uniforms. In fact I wonder if uniforms sort of "up the ante" in terms of of acting out.
ida know...just sayin
!