New Tennessee law to change teachers' roles for discipline in the classroom - WTVC

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — A new law in Tennessee called the "Teacher's Discipline Act" goes into effect on New Year's Day.

It tries to establish more formal procedures for teachers to discipline and relocate disruptive students in their classrooms.

A recent survey from the Professional Educators of Tennessee showed 22 percent of educators were "unlikely" to remain in public education.

Nearly 80 percent of those surveyed cited student discipline and behavior as "challenging" or "very challenging."

The group says the law will help address this issue by putting "better discipline systems and processes in place," and giving "teachers more voice on the critical issue of student discipline."

On Friday, we spoke with a teacher & a parent who say the law is unnecessary.

Hamilton County teacher Aaron Fowles says this new discipline bill does nothing to address the key issue: disparities in discipline outcomes.

"A black student is more than four times as likely to be suspended than a white kid. This bill does nothing to address that disparity," he told us.

Fowles says the legislature should focus on educating kids in the classroom, and providing more investment in teacher training and guidance counselors.

"All it does is give teachers some kind of asinine checklist that they can complete to get a kid kicked out of the classroom."

Parent and disability advocate Sara Scott says the bill isn't focusing on what's most important.

"It just seems like a shame that we've shifted, you know, once again, towards punitive measures, rather than looking at the root cause of why a child might be disruptive in school."

Like Fowles, Scott says more investment needs to be made in mental health professionals and looking at whether kids are getting what they need at home.

"It's not that the student lacks discipline, it's that they lack support," she said.

But JC Bowman, the director of Professional Educators of TN, stands by the bill and the importance of formalizing student discipline processes.

"One unruly child or two unruly children can actually create an atmosphere where no children can learn."

Bowman says it's important to complement the discipline law with investment in other supports.

"The second part was to get the mental health piece in place. And then the third part is going to be making sure we have the guidance counselor's there to help the students."

In response to the concern that the bill doesn't focus on the root cause of the issue:

"While it's true it doesn't get to the root of the problem, unless you address the behavior and you identify the child and get the parents involved, you're not going to get to the root cause."

Depend on us to keep you posted as this new law takes effect.

source: https://newschannel9.com/news/back-to-school/new-tennessee-law-to-change-teachers-roles-for-discipline-in-the-classroom

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