End to School Detentions

Due to their youth, students often arrive late or are absent from class, hand
in an assignment late, get in arguments with fellow students, and commit countless other infractions. The timeless response to these behaviours has been to assign the student a trip to detention, where the student will stay for an extended period, as determined by the teacher. Recently students, parents, teachers, and administers alike have openly opposed this practice, saying
that it is archaic and does not create a disincentive for poor behaviour. They argue that often students who are sentenced to detention are treated as though they are “guilty until proven innocent” (Johnson). Those who support this practice say that part of school is learning about rules, and learning the self- control necessary to follow them. More recently some have opposed this style of learning, stating that children with learning disabilities like ADHD have a harder time following these rules. Should detentions or suspensions be meted out regardless of individual circumstances? Would individual treatment appear as injustice?

Reference

Johnson, LouAnne. “Down With Detention!” Education Week. 30 Nov. 2004. www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2004/12/01/14johnson.h24.html (18 Sept. 2017).