Bill increasing punishment in schools will be weaponized against NC students | Opinion
This legislative session, Republicans in the North Carolina General Assembly have been laser-focused on what they see as failures in the state’s education system. They’ve crafted a Parent’s Bill of Rights that stigmatizes LGBTQ students and could potentially “out” them to their parents. They’ve also filed an anti-Critical Race Theory bill.
Now, the NCGA House committee on K-12 Education has a new project: pulling even more kids out of school by increasing punishments for minor infractions of school policy.
House Bill 188 looks to remove language in state law that adds to behaviors considered “serious” violations that may be treated with long-term suspension or expulsion. Currently, NC law says no one can receive a long-term suspension or expulsion for dress code violations, being disrespectful to a staff member or “minor physical altercations that do not involve weapons or injury,” i.e. your run-of-the-mill school cafeteria fight that gets a little out of hand.
The bill’s sponsors say that the decision to file the bill is a response to the recent spike in school crime, which has already led to an increase in in-school and out-of-school suspensions in North Carolina. But, based on that information alone, an increase in punishment is not actually solving discipline problems in North Carolina classrooms.
This bill opens the door to teachers overreacting to minor misbehavior — something as simple as mouthing off to a teacher or violating the dress code can earn a suspension. Both of these behaviors are disrespectful, but teenagers shouldn’t face a nuclear option of punishment, one that could affect the rest of their lives.
Democrats immediately raised questions about the effect such a change would have on students of color, particularly Black students, who are already punished at rates higher than their white peers. Some Black legislators in both parties criticized that characterization. Rep. Ken Fontenot, a Wilson County Republican, said that the Democrats’ rebuttal of the legislation reflects the “bigotry of low expectations” Black people face in North Carolina.
“Discipline and standards for African Americans is a benefit, especially at time when they may not have the structure at home to get those,” Fontenot said. “Because if we do not give it to them at schools, unfortunately we discover that they’re going to get it in jail because this society is going to hold them accountable even if schools don’t.”
What Fontenot did in making this characterization, however, is exactly what he accused Democrats of doing — perpetuating the stereotype that Black children do not receive enough discipline. That stereotype already affects Black students in North Carolina, and so long as there are teachers who are heavyhanded with punishment and do not realize their own racial biases, Black and brown students will be hurt.
A bill that encourages adults to level severe punishments will lead to students being absent from class and falling behind, making them more susceptible to failing out of school or dropping out. Once that happens, the path back to the classroom can be difficult.
The rules may seem fair, but it doesn’t mean they would be applied fairly. There will always be students misbehaving, no matter their race or gender. Race and gender, on the other hand, correlate with how severely someone is punished. A better solution to misbehavior small and large is to equip schools to handle it with more counselors and other staff who can address difficulties earlier and more productively. Harsher punishment is the easier — and less effective — way out.
