California districts won't be able to suspend students for 'willful defiance' next school year

Wow, what is my state coming to? No penalties for smash and grab, decriminalizing drug use, and now no penalties for disrupting class. While showing “compassion” for the individual our government is harming the majority of those who are compliant, who show respect for rules and laws and contribute to society. What’s the opposite of the Midas touch? I’ve lived in California my entire life and I can’t understand how the people that are destroying our beautiful state keep getting re-elected. I suppose we get what we deserve, we deserve who we vote for.

More "progressive" stupidity.

Although I agree with both your sentiments about our elected “representatives,” reader Robert might want to reread the article and or rethink his reaction. The law does not say “no penalties” it says “no suspensions.” I recall as a grade school student thinking a suspension is a silly punishment given it defeats the primary purpose of the school with respect to that student, i.e. to educate the student. Also, at the time I would have taken being suspended as a reward since it meant I didn’t have to go to school.

Since there aren't any student conduct issues in classrooms today, what could possibly go wrong?

When I was a student in elementary school they still had corporeal punishment. The Principal was allowed to spank children that were misbehaving as long as the parents had signed a paper allowing it. I saw this abused by at least one teacher who used a strap on children who "misbehaved" in her class (6th grade). I also saw this used to good affect by the principal who spanked children that misbehaved and they stopped acting up and getting into trouble. I think that with some boundaries the schools should be able to decide whether a student is suspended or not. Those days, at least in California, are long gone. But the schools need some way of handling disruptive children. Maybe have an appeal process to the Superintendent as a safety but let kids get suspended. People need to be responsible for their actions and face consequences of those actions. I would rather have a student get into trouble and suspended than have they assume there are no consequences until they get into real trouble and end up in the court system. "Low Level behavior issues" can still be very disruptive to others in the class and result in other students not getting the time and attention, or the learning, that they deserve. Handcuffing the schools ability to deal with these issues and the students or that are disrupting class is not a good answer.

Suspension is the alternative to physical punishment. When a student won't behave, you send them out of the classroom ore out of the school entirely so they won't disrupt those students who are there to learn.

If you eliminate suspension as an option for bad behavior and teachers and administrators are forced to keep disruptive students in classrooms, what do you think the result will be for everyone else... including teachers?

You are also teaching children and teens that there really aren't any consequences for bad behavior. No wonder they look at police and authority figures with that "so whatta ya gonna do?" look.

This is such a stupid regulation.

Totally agree with Pogo.

If you think the purpose of public schools should be to teach students, this is of course bananas in the extreme.

Once you realize the purpose of public schools is to spend money on teachers unions with no concern whatsoever for student achievement, while braying incessantly about social justice, this makes sense.

When does this destruction of Society end?
- When we throw out those currently in charge!

You stupid group think Dems vote for this garbage!

Karl -

Last I looked, both the California Assembly and Senate as well as the Governor's Mansion were all controlled by Democrats. From the story...

"Newsom on Oct. 8 approved Senate Bill 274, which takes effect July 1, 2024. Under SB 274, introduced by state Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, willful defiance suspensions are barred in grades 6-12, with a sunset of July 1, 2029, in all California public schools."

I'm not a fan of the GOP, but this bill has almost nothing but Democrat fingerprints all over it. In the final Senate vote, every Democrat voted for it and all but one Republican (Brian Dahle) voted against it. No, this bill and its predictable results will be owned entirely by Democrats.

" No, this bill and its predictable results will be owned entirely by Democrats."

Yes it will, but they will deny any responsibility when it blows up in their face, like we know it will. Prop 47 and skyrocketing crime is a perfect example. The dems blame everything but the actual cause.