Discipline issue pits parents against teachers

SARA MINOGUE

A battle of opinion is shaping up over a common problem in Iqaluit’s schools: how to deal with out-of-control students.

On one side is the Iqaluit District Education Authority — a group of parents who want to see fewer suspensions and expulsions, and more emphasis on reforming students who misbehave, and getting them back into class.

On the other side are teachers, the high school principal, and the head of the teachers’ union who have one concern on their minds: safety.

The current Education Act puts the district education authority in charge of revising school discipline policies. That work began last fall, when the IDEA began a review of the current policy, and a survey of teachers, student support teachers, parents and other school boards.

By February, that resulted in a draft discipline policy that took the emphasis off punishment and put it on the behavior expected of students. The IDEA edited the “d” word and changed it to a “student conduct policy.”

The draft policy reduces suspension times dramatically, and dispenses with most of the minimum suspensions.

The fifth draft of the policy suggests students who assault and injure another student get suspended for just five days. Students who assault and injure a teacher get a minimum of five days, and up to 20 days, and “may” be referred to the RCMP.

To high school principal Terry Young, those recommendations ignore the realities at Inuksuk High School.

“We cannot allow teachers to be attacked,” Young said. “My staff depends on me heavily to make sure that we have a safe school.”

Four students were expelled this year alone: one for a bomb-threat prank, one for bullying, one for pulling a knife on another student, and one for assaulting a teacher.

At least 20 students were suspended for less serious offenses.

Holding students responsible for this behavior is the only way to uphold “universal standards,” Young said, and send a message about what kind of behavior won’t be tolerated.

Yet Katherine Trumper, the IDEA member who originally drafted the policy, says the current draft of the policy hardly goes far enough towards a new, restorative approach. She said the IDEA anticipated concerns, but that change is necessary to prevent more kids from dropping out of the system.

“We’re basically saying if you want things to be different in the school, you have to do things differently,” Trumper said.

The IDEA represents parents who view suspensions as “unproductive,” and would rather see students in programs that help them change behavior, than sent home for 20 days at a time.

At Inuksuk High, Young disputes the perception that the high school ignores the needs of troubled students. On the contrary, he says, the school employs two full-time counselors, and will have a third next year.

“We spend a lot of time dealing with the students that get in trouble — they themselves are often victims and most of our energy goes into helping them,” Young said.

“At this age, a lot of the effects of being below grade level or all these social issues really come to the forefront.”

But Young also worries about the victims of violence and bullying, and says sometimes, repeat victims are afraid to come to school. Taking a soft approach with offenders won’t help these kids.

He says students haven’t had enough input in the policy. Other students want to be in safe classrooms, where they can learn in peace. These are students’ basic needs, Young said.

The draft policy contains another contentious issue: The IDEA wants to form a sub-committee to make decisions on suspensions that exceed five days.

Young dislikes that idea, and his union rep agrees: Jimmy Jacquard of the Federation of Nunavut Teachers says this suggestion “handcuffs the principals.”

“We would rather have principals have more power in their hands than give a lot of decision making power to a sub-committee made up of DEA members,” Jacquard said.

Trumper defends the sub-committee as a step towards preventing future incidents.

“We like that idea because if you’ve got violent kids in the school, it’s a community issue, and the community needs to know about these issues and they need to be involved in solving these issues.”

The IDEA has spent the last year lobbying and conducting research to make the case for more school programming to help students at risk of dropping out of school — or being kicked out.

In a document sent this winter to the Department of Education, the IDEA blasted the draft Education Act for giving DEAs the authority to promote alternatives to suspensions and expulsions — but no funding for programs that would get this done.

“Our voice on programs has not been heard yet. It’s still largely unrecognized as an issue,” Trumper said.

Last week, the IDEA met with 10 teachers from the high school to discuss the policy. The IDEA is now working on a new draft that will incorporate those concerns, which should be ready next fall.