Diana Denton: Bad behavior limits learning

By now, we’ve all had the chance to view the takedown of a teenager by a sheriff’s deputy in a high school classroom in South Carolina. It is easy to conclude that the officer used excessive force. He has been fired and may face criminal charges for his actions.

In fanning the flames of outrage against the officer, your Oct. 29 editorial “ ‘Officer Slam’ teaches a lesson” and Barry Saunders’ column “Time to reassess cops in school” minimized the role the student played in the altercation.

Bottom line: Disruptive and disrespectful students stymie the teaching and learning process in classrooms up and down grade levels across this country. Teachers and administrators need some mechanism for forcing compliance and minimizing behaviors that diminish the classroom experience for all. Cajoling and pleading just don’t work.

This story was originally published October 30, 2015 at 5:32 PM with the headline "Diana Denton: Bad behavior limits learning."