When students are pushed out of class or have contact with school police and courts they miss the important learning and socializing time that happens in their regular classrooms. This makes a lot of students feel like they are behind with their work and that catching up is impossible. It can also make students feel that they are different and “bad,” compared to their peers.
Being excluded from class, even one time, makes it more likely that students will be held back, that they won’t graduate on time, and that they will have contact with the justice system in the future.
Importantly, the students who remain in class when a fellow classmate is removed suffer, too. Research shows that there is a negative relationship between classroom removals (like suspensions and expulsions) and school climate and academic achievement.
Black, Latino, LGBTQ, and students with disabilities tend to face suspensions, alternative school placements, and school police contact at unfairly high rates. Check out the other student sections of this website for more information about the impact of the pipeline on these groups of students.
