The issue of suspensions and expulsions in schools is a difficult one, and opinions are often divided. In my years as a teacher, especially working with students with learning disabilities in underserved communities, I was acutely aware of this division. I found myself often defending my students when they were punished for things like not paying attention or being impulsive. While I agreed that there should be some level of consequences for disrupting others’ learning, as well as for bigger issues like fights or safety-related concerns,
I disagreed that removal from school was the answer. Suspending students seemed completely counterproductive to our goals of
engaging students. We wanted kids to be in school, yet they were being sent home for issues that -I believe the school should have handled on their own.
However, as I moved into leadership roles, I began to see the other side. Teachers needed to feel heard when a student disrupted the class, and they wanted to know that administrators weren’t just sending the student back to class without addressing the issue. There was this constant tug-of-war whenever a student misbehaved – teachers wanted accountability and I wanted to keep the student engaged in school. This push and pull became especially challenging when I founded the Clara Brown Entrepreneurial Academy (CBEA),
Colorado’s first diverse K-8 public magnet school focused on entrepreneurship, where we prioritized addressing discipline differently.
One alternative practice that was foundational to our approach on discipline was implementing restorative practices. In Hacking School Discipline, authors Brad Weinstein and Nathan Maynard explore the transformative nature of restorative practices in schools, offering educators clear, effective strategies for implementing these techniques. At CBEA, we believed in the potential of restorative practices to create meaningful change.
Like the articles mentioned, schools are more often focused on sorting “good” and “bad” students rather than creating an inclusive community. At CBEA, inclusivity was a core part of our vision, and restorative practices were an important part of ensuring that students not only took responsibility for their actions but felt they belonged in the community. For example, rather than suspending young children for fighting, we would bring the students together to discuss what happened. A restorative conversation, guided by an adult, allowed each child to share how they felt, take accountability, and make a commitment to better choices moving forward. These conversations often revealed misunderstandings or encouraged empathy that might not have surfaced otherwise.
Another alternative to suspension we adopted at CBEA was structured, purposeful in-school projects. Instead of sending students home where we couldn’t necessarily control what happened there, we designed projects that related to the incident. One 4th grade student, for instance, brought a sharp object to school. After investigating further, we found that he hadn’t intended harm; he’d simply thought it was “cool” after finding it in his dad’s workshop. Rather than suspend him, we had him spend instructional time in class, but for recess and free time, he worked on a supervised project about school safety. He researched why safety is essential in schools and created a Google Slidedeck, which he later shared with younger students to help them make safe choices. It’s important to note that it wasn’t framed to the younger students that they were “learning something from the kid in trouble” but rather as “learning from an older peer” and it became a leadership opportunity, allowing him to see himself as a positive role model. His parents also appreciated this approach, which not only kept their son in school but also removed the burden of them needing to take time off work. It also provided something to ground them in a conversation at home when he was able to show them what he had been working on.
One part of the article that really resonated with me was, “For many, it remains unclear what the purpose of suspension and expulsion is.” This confusion is not just found in the students, but also their parents and teachers, who may assume suspension is intended as punishment or a deterrent. But what if, instead, it were about teaching students the impact of their choices and offering a chance to grow? Restorative practices and intentional projects effectively support this idea, allowing students to reflect on the consequences of their actions and learn from mistakes in a constructive way.
Ultimately, a more inclusive, restorative approach to discipline can transform not just individual behavior but school culture as a whole. By keeping students in school and engaging them meaningfully, we teach them valuable lessons in accountability and empathy. The goal, after all, should be to guide students – not to brand them by their mistakes, but to help them learn from them.
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Laura Burke is an author, speaker, and consultant with over 25 years of experience in educational leadership and advocacy. A former principal and nonprofit founder, Laura is committed to transforming education through initiatives that empower students and foster innovative, empathetic teaching practices. She has developed programs to support school leaders, engage communities, and build strong, inclusive school cultures. Laura continues to work with educators and leaders nationwide, sharing insights from her journey in founding one of the first entrepreneurial K-8 public magnet schools in the country.
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