Schools Face Learning Curve On Discipline ; As Educators Work to Stem Drug Use and Fighting, Some Wonder Whether Suspensions Are an Effective Punishment.

Summary

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One sunny day years ago, Carl Hayes strolled to the playground of West Boulevard Elementary School with a classmate, headed off to do what fourth-graders do: play.

Photo by Parker Eshelman

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Schools Face Learning Curve On Discipline ; As Educators Work to Stem Drug Use and Fighting, Some Wonder Whether Suspensions Are an Effective Punishment.

Hayes reads through a core curriculum book while studying Sept. 30 at Columbia Builds Youth. He is working toward a GED.

But before the two hit the swings, the problem that would come to plague Hayes' academic days materialized.

"He got smart to me, bumped into me," Hayes said. "I got smart to him. I bumped into him."

The two landed a few punches before teachers intervened. West Boulevard administrators suspended Hayes from school for four days, he said.

Since then, Hayes has been suspended more than 10 times.

"I knew what was wrong," he said. "I just didn't have the motivation to fix what I was doing."

Some of Hayes' suspensions were for 10 days, a few requiring an extended-suspension he...

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