Students who are suspended or expelled can experience elevated rates of depression through their teen years and into early adulthood, according to University of Arkansas research reported by K-12 Dive
Previous studies have connected exclusionary discipline to poor academic outcomes, such as lower standardized test scores and graduation rates. This new study examines the impact on long-term mental health patterns, according to researchers.
“Broadly speaking, we definitely need discipline reform,” says Alexia Angton, assistant professor of sociology and criminology at the University of Arkansas.
About 786,600 K-12 students received one or more in-school suspensions and about 638,700 got one or more out-of-school suspensions in the 2020-21 school year, according to the most recent civil rights data from the U.S. Department of Education. The data shows Black boys are disciplined at higher rates. They represent 8% of K-12 enrollment; receive 15% of in-school suspensions; 18% of out-of-school suspensions; and 18% of expulsions.
The report says schools play a major role in protecting youth mental health and should incorporate a holistic and compassionate approach to behavior issues.
Restorative justice, which works through relationship building rather than punishment, is one alternative. Restorative justice approaches include identifying needs and repairing harm, active accountability by taking responsibility, voluntary participation, and centering relationships and community so that all voices are heard, and everyone is valued and respected, according to the National Center on Restorative Justice.’
Restorative justice is most impactful when it’s not just used as an alternative to discipline, but as a schoolwide approach to student well-being, according to DeMointé Wesley, the center’s assistant director of partnerships and communications.
“Kids, in my opinion, spend far too much time at school for school to not feel like a place where they have really strong relationships,” Wesley says.
In a 2023 report, the Learning Policy Institute found that restorative practices improved academic achievement, behavior and school safety.
Interested educators and administrators should reach out to experts in the restorative justice field and learn about the practices as well as the skills and patience necessary for successful implementation, Wesley recommends.
Trying to use restorative justice in current school frameworks can be like “trying to shove a square peg in a round hole,” Wesley says. “It is a matter of taking the time and as much as possible restructuring and reprioritizing.”
K-12 Dive
