Schools are constantly establishing new policies and procedures. But what happens when their practices do more harm than good?
Take for example a story reported in Yahoo Lifestyle, where Mingus Union High School, a small public school located in Arizona, implemented a policy in which students were required to wear color-coded IDs that differentiated freshman and sophomores (red badge) from juniors and seniors (gray badge) and also listed their grade level.
Sounds harmless right? Well, not entirely. This ID policy became the center of attention when the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona received a complaint about students being harassed and teased due to having to wear a badge identifying their grade level. As the story notes, according the ACLU’s Arizona chapter, upperclassmen who struggled in classes also had to wear red badges with numbers indicating their repeated grade level if their grades didn’t improve. The ACLU described the policy as a form of “public ridicule” potentially leading to humiliation and bullying. Furthermore, the ACLU stated that because students were being singled out, the policy violated “the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution.”
[Read: Why Schools Should Take a Restorative Approach to Discipline Issues.]
The school system was quick to respond. “These are standard badges worn by students at schools across the nation issued in large part as identification in the case of a school shooting,” attorney Susan Segal, who is representing the school Mingus Union High School, told Yahoo! Lifestyle. “At Mingus, older kids are allowed to leave campus for lunch, and their colored badges indicate their grade level to security guards.”
But the policy failed to consider how it might impact some students who were held back a grade. What’s more, in high school, being moved forward a grade level (or promoted) or held back (retained) is based on classes passed and credits earned; it’s not about repeating an entire grade level like in elementary school. So failing a core course like English or math could result in retention; but upon passing this course, students easily move up to the next grade. One or two classes in high school can really make a difference between whether a student is promoted or retained.
Some who agree with policies like Mingus Union High School’s say that public ridicule in the school setting is not illegal. But I would counter that oftentimes even what may be legal may not be ethical. In regard to the profession of education, I believe it’s important to adhere to the ethical principles of respecting autonomy, beneficence (benefiting others) and nonmaleficence ( doing no harm) when creating school policies. School officials should step back and ask, “How will this policy impact our students?” Student needs should be front and center when making procedural changes.
Fortunately, this story ends on a good note. Mingus Union High School recently changed their policy. In the revised policy, all students IDs are the same color. Students who are allowed to leave campus for lunch have a separate ID to show school officials.
The purpose of highlighting this school’s previous policy isn’t to put down the school, but rather to show how sometimes hurtful policies are implemented without careful thought about the repercussions. When making procedural changes, school officials need to consider how it will affect their students. And in the event a policy proves to be harmful, then it needs to be changed.
The truth of the matter is that sometimes schools are going to execute misguided procedures. When this happens, parents should not ridicule school officials. Rather they should actively voice their concerns and advocate for what’s in the best interest of their kids.
[Read: Are School Health Lessons Harming Kids?]
As an educator and a parent, it’s easy to sit back and become angered by injustices facing our youth. It’s time that we take a hard look at the messages we are teaching our kids, and some of those messages come from within our own home.
A few months ago, I was with my daughter getting a last-minute school supply. (You know, that thing you learn your child needs right before stores are ready to close?) While at the register we witnessed a couple being mean to an employee. I was appalled and upset about what was happening. The employee remained silent so as to not provoke any further tongue-lashing from the customers. Hoping the exchange would end soon, I mistakenly remained silent, even though my gut was screaming, “Do something!” I looked at my daughter and in her eyes, I saw her asking, “Are you going to do something?”
Fortunately, that eye-to-eye connection was all it took to snap me out of my selfish state and beckon me to act. From my silence, I found my voice. I calmly addressed the couple, as they were already irritated, and let them know that was enough and their words were extremely hurtful. I also had the employee call a manager to the register so the customer’s behaviors would be monitored. Fortunately, the situation de-escalated. On the way home, I spoke with my daughter about what happened. That’s when she verbalized, “I was wondering why you weren’t saying anything?”
How often have we sat back, ignored our gut and allowed injustice to occur before our very eyes, whether it’s in our child’s school or in public? It’s not just the institutions that are prone to making mistakes, we are guilty too.
For the most part, schools deserve a lot more credit than they receive. There are many great educators in our nation who are overworked and underpaid. Education is not a profession people enter thinking they are going to make a lot of money. Most enter the field because they are passionate about what they do. Unfortunately, when schools execute harmful policies, albeit with good intentions, that one policy can steal the limelight away from all the great things they do for their students. Warren Buffett said it best: “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.”
[See: 10 Concerns Parents Have About Their Kids’ Health.]
As parents, it’s time that we all jump into action when we see schools implementing harmful and possibly unethical practices. It’s our responsibility to lead the way and advocate for our children. The changes that need to happen begin with us. We have a moral responsibility to take a stand and do something. As an individual, we can lend our voice to an issue. As a community, we can make a positive difference.
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When School Policies Do More Harm Than Good originally appeared on usnews.com
