Absolutely not. If the behaviour that a student brings to school is harmful to the learning process or to the well being of other students than this type of discipline is required. I definitely believe that there should be guidelines in place, so that the suspensions match the bad behaviour across the board.
Erik Sudmals, Toronto
Not at all, I even find the schools take long to suspend troublesome students. Teachers and good behaved students should not waste their time with very small group of badly behaved students.
Branka Milanovic, Toronto
Reducing a school's ability to deal with difficult students effectively reduces the quality of the education for the remaining 29 kids per class.
Jamie Loughery, Newmarket
When my son was 7 years old, he was being beat up by three older children in the schoolyard. Out of desperation, he grabbed a mini-bat and tried to defend himself with it. Guess who got suspended? Here's a hint, it wasn't the older, larger kids who instigated the attack, but the little boy who used a 'weapon' out of self-defence.
Fiona Hammond-Vincent, Ottawa
Teachers and schools have limited resources to deal with obnoxious and chronic bad behaviour. Given that suspension and expulsion are the last "big sticks" available, they must be used judiciously and fairly but used.
David Sawicki, Toronto
I think they should relax the zero tolerance program. Our school system should be guiding students to a better future, not punish them.
Katherine Schwartz, Dundas
My brother got suspended for falling sleep in his class. He was with my ailing mother the night before at the hospital. What shocked me was that they didn't call the family to confirm my brother's story.
Ali Khan, Brampton
As a new classroom teacher in the secondary public school system in Ontario, policies regarding when bad behaviour warrants a suspension is a very important issue. But what is "bad behaviour"? Ask 50 teachers or administrators and for sure you will get 50 different answers.
Jamie Agombar, Oshawa
When we lived in Ontario, my then 6-year-old learning disabled son was suspended. It was his turn to hold the door open for classmates. The teacher wanted another child to hold the door open also. My son pushed the door, out of frustration, and another child's thumb was hurt as a result. The consequence was a 2-day suspension. Special ed kids need some allowance for their learning disabilities.
C. Bunn, Cardston, Alberta
Suspension is an easy outing for a student, and no lesson is learned or taught. In our KIND SOCIETY we allow the student to wander the Malls or do nothing productive on his time off from school.
Ernie Checkeris, Sudbury
It's not the policy per se but selective application of a policy that creates frustration. Who is policing the police?
Jim Saxon, Toronto
No, it means that schools are doing exactly what society does if you act like an antisocial moron who doesn't want to follow the rules. It gives you a choice. Play nice, and you get to stay. Act like a tool, and you're removed from the society you can't seem to get along with.
Jack Rumney, Barrie
Once again a so-called "task force" on suspensions and school discipline has got things completely wrong. Were teachers represented on this task force, i.e. the people who have to deal daily with violent, rude, unruly and undisciplined students?
Brian Kellow, London
Suspending students allows other students to learn. It forces the parents to arrange for child care and realize that their children's actions at school are their personal responsibility.
Jeff Maas, Toronto
While in secondary school three years ago, you could not escape the looming threat of suspensions. Too often suspensions were used as an excuse to make a problem go away.
Ryan Kennery, Oakville
It is illegal to drop out of school when your 15, but it's legal to kick you out at 14 for swearing ..... hmm.
Justin McMillin, Toronto
If rational people were to examine the circumstances that led to a student being suspended I'm sure they would conclude that the suspension was justifiable. Instead, you get the usual knee-jerk reaction from some individuals, groups and organizations that these suspended students are being treated too harshly and unfairly.
Gerry Thompson, Brampton
The problem with zero tolerance is that the expelled students have no alternatives.
Cathy Tekatch, Grimsby
For minor infractions, don't send them home to play on the computer or with other video games. Keep them at school.
Joyce Stephenson, Orono
The school system is far too quick to suspend students. The kids get a few days off school and find it a vacation rather than any type of punishment!
Heather Holburn, Toronto
I was suspended numerous times for "acting out" in school. It didn't make me want to act any better. I only stopped to consider my actions and my future when a Vice Principal decided to stop calling my parents and kicking me out of class, and instead talked to me.
Raquel Teixeira, Scarborough
As a retired teacher, I must say in the 33 years I taught there was no student suspended that didn't deserve to be. On the contrary, students are given too many second chances.
Ralph Smith, Parry Sound
Of course, why shouldn't they. After all they have a responsibility to keep the rest of the student population safe.
Maria Monzon, Kitchener
I absolutely agree that suspension is not always the answer. I also agree that it is too discretionary.
Wendy Dempster, Oakville
We call it disipline. The kids call it a vacation. Right now , a suspension is the only way a teacher has to disipline a unruly child.
Bob DeVreeze, Bracebridge
For the most part, Canada has leaned towards the "it's just teenage behavior" or what not. When will people realize that accomodating and excusing poor behavior hurts the rest.
Richard Shaffer, Alexandria, VA
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