California Schools May Be Banned From Suspending Students For ‘Willful Defiance’
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Starting next school year principals and administrators may be banned from suspending students for “willful defiance” of teachers, staff, and administrators.
Senate Bill 419 bans schools from suspending students in grades 4-8 for disrupting school activities or willfully defying school authorities, including teachers and staff. The bill would also ban schools from suspending students in grades 9-12 for the same thing until January 1, 2025. The law would apply to both public and charter schools.
The full Assembly voted to pass the bill Monday by a vote of 58-17, with four Assemblymembers not voting. The vote went along party lines.
A similar bill was vetoed by Governor Jerry Brown last legislative session.
Existing law already prohibits schools from suspending children in grades K-3 for disrupting or willful defiance. Existing law also prevents schools from recommending the expulsion of students in all grades for disrupting or willful defiance.
Students could still be suspended or expelled for other acts, including threatening violence, bringing a weapon or drugs to school, or damaging school property. Teachers could also still be allowed to “suspend pupils from class for the day and the following day who disrupt school activities or otherwise willfully defied valid
authority of supervisors, teachers, administrators, school officials, or other school personnel engaged in the performance of their duties.”
authority of supervisors, teachers, administrators, school officials, or other school personnel engaged in the performance of their duties.”
As part of the new bill, superintendents or principals would be asked to provide alternatives to suspension or expulsion that are “age-appropriate and designed to address and correct the pupil’s specific misbehavior.”
The Alliance for Boys and Men of Color supports the bill, writing:CONTINUE READING: California Schools May Be Banned From Suspending Students For ‘Willful Defiance’ – CBS Sacramento
