Alternatives to Suspensions and Expulsions

Alternatives to Suspensions and Expulsions

Photo Credit to U.S.V.I Dept. of Education Image Gallery

Yesterday I read an article in The St. Thomas Source that immediately prompted me to write this blog post. I’ll first start by stating that the fact the Virgin Islands Department of Education officials can publicly state that our territory doesn’t have a problem with regards to serving troublesome student without pushing them out of classrooms/ schools, or at least in more recent times, is a drastic improvement. Don’t just take my word, the very same article that prompted this blog post cities the territories statistics in these concerns, and unfortunately they are not very far from what I expected; maybe others within our community had different expectations (whether higher or lower), but not me. Why? Why I am not surprised?  Because I have noticed the many strides that the Department of Education and other government entities, among other private groups, programs, and affiliates, have made to secure a better future for the youths in our territory; regardless of demographic. So what is the concern you may wonder; the concern is the simple infractions that are causing students to be keep away from the classroom where they belong, and in some cases sending them to the last place they need be, jail/prison

As a former student under the Virgin Islands Department of Education I must state that many of the infractions that usually send students to the principal’s office should send them to the school counselor. As outlined in the source feature ‘Undercurrents; Educators Try to Curtail Suspensions’, there are different levels of infractions (levels1-4, 4 being more serious offenses), all of which usually lands students in the main office to a principal. Is there no other way? Aren’t there better ways to teach discipline, humility, and respect other than excluding children from school? Even for more serious offenses, like engaging in a fist fight ( a usual occurrence in middle/ high schools) instead of suspending students , according to how much physical damage they’ve inflicted on each other, wouldn’t they benefit more from anger management classes for a few weeks along with community service (counseling early learners, maybe). This model would also do well for students who are habitually disruptive (since early learners can be somewhat disruptive to those without training) to teach them the same lesson. For every in school suspension given for obscene language students could instead be required to write an essay on a subject of literary importance/nature with the hopes of them learning the power of words among other things.

I personally believe in the power of community service; if more students were/had been exposed to community service then we would have a community of caring individual adults who would be willing to volunteer their services to the community. It does not start after school stops, but before and during. The infractions listed under levels 1 &2 should first be addressed with mandatory hours of community service and counseling. Students with infractions ranging from levels 3-4 may benefit from outside assistance, but not the police dragging them off to jail. Programs like P.A.L.S, The Drug Free Program, The My Brother’s Keeper Initiative, Jr. Fire Fighters, Civil Air Patrol and R.O.T.C should be given as alternatives before suspension/expulsion. Students need to be given the opportunity to make choices about their lives and should not have to live the rest of their lives based on prior mistakes that can be learned from. Parents also have to be involved to ensure accuracy of the program. Many students don’t have the parental support they should at home academically. As educators/ advocates it’s the job to help these children and referrals obviously aren’t doing the job. Mentors should be available for all students, but especially those considered ‘troublesome’; those who don’t display those levels of resilience needed to succeed in a rather stagnant economy and need help preparing for professionalism. An equal amount of support is needed for the little ten percent of over fifteen thousand students so we can ensure that the same ten percent does not end up apart of another statistic of more grave and serious natures.

Since my personal experience and knowledge in the special education/needs field is very limited I’ll keep it very light. With all the fuss and focus on special needs kids and the infractions that usually land them in the principal’s office or a special committee to determine their educational fates has anyone taken record of such incidents to determine the causes and what can be done to remedy the situations? From my readings and a personal discussion with another there can be many factors that may cause a student of special needs to ‘act out’ and become ‘troublesome’. Could these students not also benefit from counseling and behavioral programs, instruction based on reflection on ones actions and determining the better action, rather than further excluding them from the rest of the student population and their peers? And do other students and school officials have a basic understanding/ underlying respect for those of special needs? If not they may benefit from such training/instruction to attain a higher level of positive social interactions between all students, special needs or otherwise, and school official s and administrative officers.

 Dropout rates are significantly lower, as graduation rates have increased; violence among adolescents in school and out has also drastically decreased. Don’t believe me, when was the last time you heard of a student being arrested or involved in a serious altercation (using weapons and causing critical harm)? I know it is nothing like it used to be, if continued at all. While I’d like to credit the wealth of opportunities that have been continuously presented to students for these changes, it alone cannot be the driving influence. Our community is the that driving influence and determining factor, whether its recognized by a majority or not; it is the community who illustrates the positive/ negative images in which our children choose to take part in, become a part of, or affiliate themselves with in any way they can.

For further readings on the U.S Virgin Islands on topics of education and our children please read “What About The Children We Failed”, Risk Factors for Challenging Behavior, and Too Much Violence; USVI Shootings Near Preschools

This blog post is the opinions of Ms. Child Advocate and does not reflect on the institution’s she is employed for nor is those she affiliated with through volunteer work or otherwise. For more opinions from us please visit our blog page usviearlychildhoodlearning.blogspot.com or email us at usvi.childhood.learning@gmail.com  and like us on Facebook or follow Ms. Child Advocate on Twitter.

  

Children’s Day 2014: Treasure our Children

Children’s Day 2014: Treasure our Children

Figure 1 Arzucanaskin.com photo credit

       As many of us have experienced throughout our lifetimes, there are days internationally reserved to specific topics to draw awareness/advocacy or simply to honor a memory. Many days are highly publicized making them more popular than others, and many with their own right. We’ve recently celebrated Memorial Day and it’s a day I’m sure all can empathize with; whether you’ve known someone in the battle, were a part of it yourself, or was just touched by the actions and efforts of your fellow countrymen. It is certainly a day to be recognized and (one I personally think) should rightfully be done internationally.

       But there are other important observances that go unnoticed every year; they are under publicized, uncelebrated and go without any recognition and the sad part about it is that those days are usually those observed for the rights, well-being, and education of children. I couldn’t help but wonder if the reason for those aren’t because, on a larger scale (judging by the insights of a majority) children’s issues are ‘seemingly’ marginal or does it just truly reflect what we as human beings in today’s societies value; ourselves.

       On this past May 11 our nation, like others (whether before or after) celebrated Mother’s Day; another day rightfully observed for all the hard work, perseverance, and stress (just to name a few) that mothers (like myself!) go through. There were plenty of advertisements ‘reminding’ us of the observed day and the things we could do to either support mothers and their struggle or to celebrate others. But also observed in May that has already come to pass was Brothers & Sisters Day/ Baby Day on May 2 and while the International Day of Families did have some ‘clout’ I can’t help, but wonder once again if it isn’t due to the fact that once more, adults were involved rather than it just being a celebration of children.  Then again, as I have thought of this I’m sure someone else has already and thus; Children’s Day was born, to bring light to the most innocent part of humanity that is probably the most abused/neglected because of size and age.

      But unlike other highly publicized observances that usually call upon a need to show support through donations or gifts I simply urge others to make yourselves more aware of the issues that are plaguing our world and to resonate closer to home, our nation. Did you all know that there is still child labor happening in the U.S? I’m sure most of you have heard of those children who aren’t allowed to purchase or smoke tobacco, picking tobacco leaves for profits, either way check out the Human Rights Watch! Among us are many evils lurking that many of us, myself included, thought were long gone. Awareness is the key to put a stop to these injustices for our fellow peers, as has touched the case of those children and the unfortunate one of the seven year old who died after becoming ill in a school with no nurse, who may have been able to discern the seriousness of the situation. There are many different topics to choose from and while I can only encourage self-awareness, spreading the word is the only way to kill this disease plaguing our world and nation so that we may begin to ‘treasure our children’ sincerely. 

A True Leading Revolutionary; Malcolm X Day

A True Leading Revolutionary; Malcolm X

As a child growing up in the Virgin Islands, I was taught to have a lot of pride; self-pride, female pride, island pride, and most of all black pride. I grew up with a slew of books in my room (house) all dedicated to educational aspects, inspirational leaders, and leading innovators around the world. One the walls in our living room hung only one family portrait, the rest where pictures of leaders who have paved our way with their life’s work and their lives; Rosa Parks, Dr. Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, and Malcolm X. As an adult now, I’ve held the same ideals near and become overly excited to convey all that I’ve learned to others. I also have pictures of my favorite inspirational revolutionaries on my walls at home and while some of the faces have changed, the theme is still the same.

“A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything”- Malcolm X

Many of the children of the Virgin Islands are also raised with similar values, norms, and ideals. It’s displayed in the way that they choose to promote culture through music, hair and clothing trends and even traditional events like Carnival. But there should be more to our culture than those things, there is much more we are responsible for with regards to preparing our children for their futures. Our ideals have been distorted to fit the views of a few ignorant minds. Norms and values are being discarded for attention and popularity. If we cannot teach our children what they do today affects everyone’s tomorrow how can they be expected to grow, participate and strive to make a better community/society for them as we once did.

“Stumbling is not falling”- Malcolm X

Malcom X is a great example to lead the young men in our society. He was a black man, who wasn’t afraid or ashamed to admit when he was wrong. He continued to strive for education and for the betterment of the human race despite what others said of him. He is a role model and the epitome of what many of our youths strive to be, a conscious member of their society.

“Without education you’re not going anywhere in this world”- Malcolm X

Throughout this post I’ve included some of my favorite quotes from Malcolm X, as I have shared with you please share with others, we’ll never know who these words may resonate with most.  

“Do not be in a hurry to condemn because he doesn’t so what you do or think as you think or as fast. There was a time when you didn’t know what you know today”
“A race of people is like and individual man; until it uses its own talent, takes pride in its own history expresses its own culture, affirms its own selfhood, it can never fulfill itself”
“I am not a racist. I am against every from of racism and segregation, every form of discrimination. I believe in human beings, and that all human beings such be respected as such, regardless of their color”

Families Matter for the Achievement of Development Goals

"Families Matter for the Achievement of Development Goals"

Because many of us unfortunately have been reared through these times where the importance of family and all that it teaches has diminished greatly, we all look through distorted lens with regards to matters of family. Once upon a time, our country and people where looked up upon by outsiders/tourists for various reasons; social culture and agriculture, but mainly resilience. We once were a people of ideals and values placed throughout our communities with presence of our culture.

            Now the culture and presence of our ancestors have all been warped. We've incorporated every other culture with ours to suit the needs of a vastly changing demographic within our territory and as a result, we've lost our identity.

            Like any other community around the world, the members of those communities become one with each other to help their well beings. The ‘family’ created within these communities are now who are rearing the next generations to come, and while they are readily available to do so, they are also unqualified.

             For this reason and so many more it is time for us to make the presence of the families more important within our communities rather than gangs, corners, or communities that pride themselves in taking in youths who are ignorant to their intentions. It is for these reasons and more that our territory must make a more profound effort to encourage our young men and women to build families and homes instead of only facilitating events where those from all demographics can enjoy themselves and indulge in different vices which contribute to our small, violent and stagnant community. And it is certainly for the promise of hope in our futures and those of our children that we change the ideals being kept at the helms of society; money, power and violence is not the only way to procure or sustain a fulfilling life.

            On this world family day U.S Virgin Islanders I propose we all take the time out not only to enjoy the company of our loved ones, but to appreciate what we can learn from them to help others less fortunate; those who don’t have a support system or a true family. Take the things that you’ve learned and share them with others, whether or not you know of their family structure. The idea is to promote the ideals and norms that can bring our communities back to being the structure that is was instead of the street family that it has become.