Feds Call On Schools To Address Discipline Disparities

Aggressive Behaviors are common in Autism

"Aggressive behaviors in developmental disabilities are mostly learned behaviors that are used to communicate needs.  This is more common in population with limited communication and social skills. Such needs may be social, medical or psychological. Punitive interventions do not address the underlying needs......"  More than half of kids and adolescents with autism are physically aggressive and new research suggests that sleep, sensory and other underlying issues may be responsible for the behaviors. In a study of 1,584 children with autism ages 2 to 17, researchers report in the journal Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders that about 53 percent were aggressive.  writes George Olarewaju; Behavior Specialist
Students with disabilities and those from minority groups are disproportionately suspended or expelled, often for petty violations of school rules, federal officials say. The new guidancedeveloped by the U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Justice is designed to ensure that discipline policies are fair, effective and do not violate students’ civil rights.

“A routine school disciplinary infraction should land a student in the principal’s office, not in a police precinct,” said Attorney General Eric Holder who called out “zero-tolerance” policies that can unintentionally make students feel unwelcome in their schools. “As it stands, far too many students across the country are diverted from the path to success by unnecessarily harsh discipline policies and practices that exclude them from school for minor infractions,” Holder said. “Alarming numbers of young people are suspended, expelled or even arrested for relatively minor transgressions like school uniform violations, schoolyard fights or showing ‘disrespect’ by laughing in class.” Join discussion @ Disabilityscoop