Pittsburgh schools revisiting discipline policy as principals push for safety, order in classroom

PITTSBURGH — The issue of disciplining students has members of the board overseeing Pittsburgh Public Schools divided as principals are pushing for more order in the classroom. On Monday night, parents, teachers and staff weighed in during public comment on the district’s code of conduct.

Right now, school officials cannot discipline students who repeatedly skip school, tease others or disrupt class through measures such as suspension, detention or not being allowed to participate in extracurricular activities. Those are considered non-violent, Level 1 offenses.

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In June, the school board voted to limit certain disciplinary measures for repeat misbehaviors. However, some principals are now pushing back against that policy, telling Channel 11 something has to be done for the safety of students and to keep order within schools. They want disciplinary measures to be reinstated. One teacher submitted a letter to the board about another teacher currently out on medical leave with a concussion, after being hit over the head by a student.

“Teachers are being verbally abused by students regularly, they’re being disrespected,” a PPS teacher said.  “Students are doing whatever they want whenever they want.”

“I wholeheartedly support the reinstatement of the former disciplinary policy by Mrs. Kennedy,” another staff member added. “If you haven’t watched the news lately, our schools are in crisis.”

Some parents say this policy should not be reversed, citing data that shows suspensions would disproportionately affect Black students and students with disabilities.

“Please let us not move backwards,” one parent said. Another added, “Reinstating this policy reinstates the systemic racism the district strives to dismantle.”

The school board will vote on the code of conduct Tuesday.

Pittsburgh Public Schools board debates how to handle ‘uptick in problematic behavior’

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