SUSPENSION DATA A WAKE-UP CALL

Suspensions are part of the education system. Schools set standards
and rules. They prescribe punishments for breaching those rules.
There is a hierarchy of consequences: reprimands, trips to the
principal's office, detentions, suspensions and expulsions.

These rules and punishments used to be sufficient. Misbehaviour
occurred -- kids, after all, will be kids. But at a time when home
entertainment consisted of a black-and-white TV set, a record player
and perhaps a deck of cards, suspensions were a deterrent.

Not anymore.

Not when about 17,500 suspensions were handed out among five of the
province's eight school boards -- last year. Not when more than a
quarter of those suspensions were for physical and verbal assault,
and bullying. And not when 510 suspensions were handed out in the
Halifax Regional School Board alone for drugs and alcohol.

Those numbers tell us the problem is not confined to incidents that
make headlines. Intimidation is pervasive in our schools, affecting
students, teachers and parents.

The government is tracking suspensions and "bad behavioural
incidents." That's a step. But it's not enough.

Neither are suspensions.

Removing unruly students brings momentary relief -- until they come
back. And spending several days in a home with satellite-TV and a
fully loaded computer is an enticement, not a deterrent.

Education Minister Jamie Muir says: "What we're really concerned
about is, how can we better address inappropriate behaviours?"

Here's an idea: Instead of wholesale suspensions, why not give
troublemakers the opportunity to spend more time in school, rather
than less? Perhaps after-school and Saturday sessions, away from
their MSN and Game Boys, could make them think twice about misbehaving.

We're not suggesting an end to suspensions. They should be available
for offences that warrant them.

We also need to find other, proactive ways to deal with bad behaviour.