Chico teacher addresses discipline at public middle school

Sue Campbell, teacher of architecture, food and textiles at Marsh Jr. High School in Chico, has worked with students with a variety of disabilities for 35 years, which has helped shape her personal discipline policy. 

In the 35 years that Sue Campbell has been a teacher, she’s worked with students with a range of disabilities, from physical, such as hearing or vision impairment, to emotional and social, such as autism.

"(Teachers are) always trying to have success with each kid," she said. "You’re always trying to find a way to reach that child."

Marsh Jr. High School, where Campbell teaches, houses programs for severely handicapped and emotionally disturbed students, along with the special education Resource Specialist Program. Campbell’s food, clothing and textiles and architecture classes are offered as electives, so she works with a broad range of students, in seventh and eighth grades, in any given class period.

The guidance policy published by the U.S. Department of Education in January included research from the Civil Rights Data Collection in the Office for Civil Rights. This research revealed that students covered under the IDEA Act are over twice as likely to receive one or more out-of-school suspensions.

Data from the California Department of Education for the 2012-2013 school year shows that Marsh Jr. High School has one of the highest suspension rates in the Chico Unified School District, with higher suspension and expulsion rates than the rates of the district, county and state. 

It is important to note however, that just because the rates at Marsh Jr. High are higher, doesn't mean that the suspensions are more frequent among disabled students. The school also has the lowest suspension rate out of the three middle schools in the district. 

Campbell said that it is not necessarily a campus or district discrimination issue when students of certain disabilities are getting expelled or suspended more than students who do not have learning disabilities.

"If you visit an Emotionally Disturbed classroom, (students are) emotionally disturbed. They can’t function the way an average kid is doing," Campbell said. "So there’s going to be a higher number of expulsions in that classroom just because of the kids you’re dealing with."

The best way that teachers can handle discipline when it comes to any student, especially students with learning disabilities, is to remain calm and express clear expectations, boundaries and consequences, Campbell said. 

“I have to be extremely clear, extremely structured and extremely organized,” she said. “That’s the way I have found to deal with special needs kids.”

Campbell said she doesn't see any child’s needs of greater importance than another's and tries to be fair in the way she disciplines children in her classroom. Discipline issues normally start at a smaller level first, such as talking to a student or meeting with a student's parents, before they escalate to a suspension or expulsion. 

"I see discipline as I really don’t want anyone to keep anyone from learning," she said. "What I try to accomplish is respect for all."