Advocate exposes alarming disparities in school discipline practices

During a recent meeting of the Paulding County School District Board of Education, concerns were raised regarding the treatment of students with disabilities, particularly in relation to disciplinary practices. Advocate Miss Spangle addressed Superintendent Barnett and board members, highlighting alarming trends in the discipline of children with disabilities, economically disadvantaged students, and English learners.

Miss Spangle emphasized the need for adherence to civil rights protections, citing data from the Office for Civil Rights that indicates systemic issues in how discipline is applied within the district. She pointed out that despite a decline in overall disciplinary incidents, the rates of restraint and out-of-school suspensions for students with disabilities have risen sharply. This discrepancy raises questions about the appropriateness of disciplinary measures being employed.

Specific data from Hickory Elementary School was presented, revealing that 100% of reported incidents involving students with disabilities were categorized as \"other,\" suggesting a potential misclassification of behaviors. Miss Spangle argued that such reporting could imply that all students with disabilities pose a threat to themselves or others, which she deemed unreasonable.

She called for a review of the district's practices, urging the board to consider the implementation of positive behavioral interventions as mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Furthermore, she noted that Georgia law restricts the use of physical restraint to situations where a student poses an immediate danger, underscoring the need for proper training for educators in managing behavioral issues.

Miss Spangle concluded her remarks by urging the board to investigate why the district has not met its performance targets for students with disabilities, particularly at the preschool level, suggesting that early intervention could mitigate future disciplinary issues. She plans to follow up with a letter to the district and the superintendent to further address these critical concerns.