Kindergarten suspensions draw scrutiny
So far this year, each of Georgia’s four largest school districts — Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett — have suspended kindergarten students from school more than 100 times.
The reasons for the suspensions range from pushing classmates or teachers to lewd sexual behavior.
Some school districts like Gwinnett are disturbed by the numbers and are looking for ways to improve student behavior on that level. Atlanta school officials started a program at the beginning of this school year to help students on all grade levels better handle their emotions.
Some parents, guardians and others believe schools are being overly aggressive in disciplining children that age and putting too many of those students in behavioral programs.
To read more about the issue, click here.
About the Author
Eric Stirgus joined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2001. He is the newsroom's education editor. Born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., Eric is active in the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists and the Education Writers Association and enjoys mentoring aspiring journalists.
