Kansas City Public Schools on verge of addressing suspensions disparities

THE KANSAS CITY PUBLICSCHOOL DISTRICT IS ONTHE VERGE OF CHANGINGHOW IT HANDLES STUDENTSUSPENSIONS.TOMORROW THE BOARDWILL VOTE ON ELIMINATINGOUT OF SCHOOLSUSPENSIONS.41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER ANDRESGUTIERREZ SHOWS US --WHY THE DISTRICT ANDPARENTS SAY -- THIS IS ANIMPORTANT MOVE TOMAKE.Dr. Mark Bedell /Kansas CityPublicSchools Superintendent/We haven't closed the gap onhow our black kids are beingsuspended in comparison tohow our Hispanic studentsand white students have beensuspended.IT'S A DISPARITY WITHINKCPS SUPERINTENDENTDR. MARK BEDELL WISHESHE COULD HAVE BEENTACKLED SOONER.Dr. Mark Bedell /Kansas CityPublicSchools Superintendent/We're creating this can-domentality in that we're notgoing to throw you under thebus when you make mistakesor when you act out.THERE'S NOW A SHIFT OFREACTING TO BADSTUDENT BEHAVIOR WITHPUNISHMENT, TORESPONDING TO THATBEHAVIOR WITHINTERVENTIONS ANDSUPPORT.IT COMES AFTER A SERIESOF MEETINGS THATINCLUDED INPUT FROMPARENTS.Amanda Campbell/Parent/if we're suspending themsaying, hey, you can't evencome to school.

We're settingthat expectation for them.

Andthey are starting to think thatthey're a bad kid and I alwaysexplain to my children likethere are no bad children.There are bad behaviors, andthere are things that we needto correct but you've got to getto the root of it.THE UPDATED POLICYSAYS OUT-OF-SCHOOLSUSPENSIONS SHOULD BEUSED SPARINGLY ANDONLY IN EXTREMESITUATIONS, SUCH ASHARM TO SELF OROTHERS, ACROSS GRADELEVELS.FOR KINDERGARTNERSTHROUGH FIFTH GRADERS,SUSPENSIONS ARE OFFTHE TABLE ALTOGETHERFOR BEHAVIORS THATDON'T RISE TO A CERTAINLEVEL.Ron Carter, Co-Chair MORE2Education Task Force/And down the line If you buildon that, from first all the waythrough, they know what to dowhen they you know, theyknow how to behave, what'sappropriate and what's not.FOR THOSE WHO DO GETSUSPENDED, THE DISTRICTWOULD REQUIREINTERVENTIONSCONNECTING THEM ANDTHEIR FAMILIES WITHRESOURCES TO DEAL WITHTRAUMA.Kenton Campbell/Parent/Because it's not alwayssomething that's black andwhite, it could be something athome, it could be somethingoutside of school that could begetting bullied, but they don'tknow how to expressthemselves or have thatlanguage.

And that's wherewe got to step in and helpthem communicate and havethat language.Dr. Mark Bedell /Kansas CityPublicSchools Superintendent/It is about reinstating hope,revitalizing kids that havebeen placed in a verydisadvantaged and unfairscenario, because of adultbehaviors.IN KANSAS CITY.

ANDRESGUTIERREZ.

41 ACTIONNEWS.