Effect of School Suspensions on Children

Q:  My daughter was recently suspended from school. This has been a very traumatic experience for her and embarrassing as well. I was not pleased with the decision to expel her and am worried that it will have lasting effects. Are you aware of any studies that have been done that document the adverse effects of suspensions?

A:  Although you did not indicate the reason for your daughter’s suspension, I’ll do my best to answer your question. Of note, there has been an increase in the number of suspensions from high schools in the Milwaukee area. Schools are under increasing pressure to maintain an environment that facilitates the education of all students and that also guarantees safety.

There is a unique kind of partnership that parents and teachers should enter into that supports the education of children. Benefits are maximized scholastically and behaviorally when everyone makes an effort to remain on the same page, diminishing the opportunity for students to play one party against the other, whether by intent or not. At the same time it is natural and understandable for parents to be embarrassed when their own children are the recipients of this kind of disciplinary measure and to respond supportively.

I spoke with a colleague, Dennis Butler, PhD, MSW, and did not turn up any research documenting long-lasting ill effects of school suspensions. He did, however, suggest that if your daughter is experiencing problems with anxiety or depression either prompting the incident or as a result of it, then professional help may be needed. There may also be concerns regarding her academic record and the effect of this event on the college admission process.

My advice would be to meet with your daughter and the school administrators to clarify the nature of her infractions and how they affected her. If in fact she did behave outside the bounds of accepted behavior, then the best thing you could do for her is to support the punishment meted out by the school. This one traumatic situation could be a gift that teaches her to take responsibility for her actions and may spare her from potentially more harmful decisions.

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