Move to end suspensions of some students gains steam in Pa.
April 19, 2017 – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette – by Molly Born
A proposal in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives to end out-of-school suspensions for most elementary students comes as Pittsburgh Public Schools is exploring a plan of its own for its youngest learners.
The bill, sponsored by state Reps. Jake Wheatley, D-Hill District, and Jordan Harris, D-Philadelphia, would compel districts to use “restorative practices” — which allows students to make things right post-conflict while staying in school — or other approaches to “prevent the recurrence of the behavior that led to” getting kicked out of school.
”When you’re 10 and under, you’re really not responsible for your own actions—you’re really still dependent on an adult,” Mr. Wheatley said, citing the story of girl he said was suspended in second and third grades for being habitually late. “We shouldn’t punish kids when adults fail.”