When youngsters get in trouble in school, they are generally either suspended or expelled. Now the state’s Public Education Department (PED) is implementing a new program to address behavior issues. The PED will utilize “trauma-responsive and restorative practices” instead of sending troublemakers home, according to a KRQE report.
“Suspending or expelling a child who has experienced a trauma just heaps on another level of trauma,” Public Education Secretary Kurt Steinhaus said in a press release. “We have a responsibility as educators to help every child overcome barriers to learning and develop the self-management skills they need to be academically successful, and we’re going to be sharing these best practices with all our schools.”
There were more than 5,000 suspensions cataloged by the Albuquerque Public School district in 2019-2020. More than 2,000 of those were due to alleged assaults and more than 1,000 to drug violations.
Data cited by KRQE also indicated a racial disparity among those that received discipline. Hispanic students made up 72% of the suspensions in 2019-2020, while white students accounted for only 13% despite making up over 20% of the district’s student population, the data showed.
“Albuquerque Public Schools recognizes there is work to be done on equity and student discipline, and the district continues to do what it can to address those issues,” Monica Armenta, a spokesperson for APS told KRQE News 13. “APS will continue to advocate for restorative justice practices, comprehensive cultural equity standards for all employees, and continued partnerships with the community.”
Armenta said APS is updating its Handbook for Student Success. The updates are based on a series of public meetings addressing a range of issues, including discipline, a KRQE report said. APS also plans to designate a staff member to provide restorative justice training.
Emma Green was hired by the Public Education Department to be the first prevention, response, and resiliency coordinator after serving as Colfax County’s “Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities” coordinator.
“Trauma-responsive and restorative practices are based on accountability and inclusiveness so that we can keep kids in the class to learn,” Green said in a press release. “This helps a student’s attendance and academic achievement.”
