Does Suspension Prevent School Violence? New Study Says No

Illinois State University researcher Charles Bell studied 30 students in SE Michigan who had been suspended from school.

Laura Weber Davis/WDET

Our automatic response to students who are violent in school is to suspend them. And that makes sense, right? You need to punish kids who act out that way.

Well, no — at least not according to a new study.

Research conducted right here in southeast Michigan suggests suspension only makes things worse.

Illinois State University researcher Charles Bell studied 30 students in SE Michigan who had been suspended from school.

He joins Detroit Today with Stephen Henderson to talk about his research and about possible solutions to the problem.

Click on the audio player above to hear that conversation.

Author

  • Detroit Today
    Dynamic and diverse voices. News, politics, community and the issues that define our region. Hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Stephen Henderson, Detroit Today brings you fresh and perceptive views weekdays at 9 am and 7 pm.