The International Observatory on Academic Achievement - Documentary search

File number :
POEE-PC-01e

Bibliographic reference :
Public Agenda (2004). Teaching Interrupted. Do Discipline Policies in Today’s Public Schools Foster the Common Good? [On line].
<http://www.publicagenda.org/>

Abstract :

This report presents data from a survey carried out in American secondary schools and involving 725 teachers and 600 parents. The purpose of the research was to gather the opinion of parents and teachers with regard to discipline policies in public schools and to look into how the lack of discipline and high level of behavioural problems among students can be detrimental to learning.

Effects of the presence of a high number of students with behavioural problems
According to the parents and teachers who were surveyed, current discipline policies applied in schools do not foster a good working and learning environment for a number of reasons. First of all, most students with behavioural problems are not removed from classrooms, thus undermining the learning of students and the work of teachers. In addition, the lack of parental support and the threat of lawsuits weaken the authority of teachers considerably. It was also observed that schools in urban and underprivileged environments are faced with more discipline problems and have a greater number of students with behavioural problems.

Causes of Behavioural Problems
Out of the people who were surveyed, 82% of teachers and 74% of parents believed that the main cause of behavioural problems was the inability of parents to adequately discipline their children. Lack of respect came second. Other causes that met with less consensus were also given in the research report.

Discipline Policies
This research did not attempt to assess specific discipline policies. The focus was on showing how parents and teachers viewed the limits and shortcomings of several policies already in place. Their main impressions can be summarized as follows:
1) A school with a majority of students without any behavioural problems is an essential requirement for ensuring adequate education. As schools are places of learning, some also believed that schools have a duty to teach future citizens to abide by established laws and regulations.

2) The time and energy that teachers devote into discipline are indirectly proportional to the quality of their teaching.

3) Due to discipline problems, one out of three teachers interviewed said he or she had seriously thought about making a career change. Quite a number of other teachers actually did so.

4) Presently, the largest number and most severe cases of behavioural problems are concentrated in schools that are in urban or underprivileged environments.

5) Faced with situations such as school failure, teachers leaving the profession, armed police officers hired by schools to ensure safety, and the likes, people who were interviewed wondered if anyone out there was paying attention to the problem.

The second part of the study shows that parents and teachers believed that many “good” students were disturbed and put at a disadvantage because of a handful of students with behavioural problems. In their opinion, the discipline policies in effect have not yet provided any effective solutions for young people who do not show much interest in school. How then should these students be removed from schools without being left to their own devices? In addition, the area in which discipline policies were thought to have failed the most was with respect to dealing with minor offenders.

Conclusion
The report ends by suggesting some avenues of thought to solve the problem, in particular with reference to lawsuits. Statistical tables and survey data are also available at the end of the document.

Links :
http://www.publicagenda.org/

Key Words :
Teaching, Discipline, Survey, Parents, Teachers, School Environment, Discipline Policies, School-Family-Community Partnership, Secondary/High School

Monitored Countries :
United States