Fix School Discipline Toolkit for Educators | Page 7

How does this harm all of us and our
communities?
There is little evidence that suspension and
expulsion benefit students or their communities.
Psychologists have found that exclusionary
discipline policies can increase “student shame,
alienation, rejection, and breaking of healthy adult
bonds,” thereby exacerbating negative mental health
outcomes for young people.22
Behavioral problems among school-age youth
are associated with high rates of depression, drug
addiction, and home-life stresses. For students
with these mental health concerns, the American
Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has found that
suspension can increase stress and may predispose
them to antisocial behavior and even suicidal
ideation.23
Removing students from school through disciplinary
exclusion also increases their risk of becoming the
22 American Psychological Association Zero Tolerance Task Force
(2006), Are Zero Tolerance Policies Effective in the Schools: An Evidentiary
Review and Recommendations.
23 American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on School Health.
(2003), Po