Jan. 22, 2020 1p
(WGTD)---A former Kenosha Unified superintendent and a Kenosha psychologist say new approaches are needed to reduce the relatively high suspension rates for African-American students.
Michele Hancock led K-U-S-D from 2010 to 2013 and now is an education professor at Carthage College. Dominique Pritchett is a Bradford High graduate who has degrees in social work and psychology. They were the main speakers at an event Tuesday night that was organized by the Kenosha Coalition for Dismantling Racism. The program was titled, “The Impact of Trauma on Black Youth in the Classroom and Beyond.”
Pritchett said there needs to be a greater understanding of what sometimes drives bad behaviors. "What the data tells us is that black boys are often the most over-diagnosed when it comes to unaddressed or misdiagnosed trauma," she said. "They're labeled as bipolar, ADHD and all types of other mood disorders."
Research has indicated that such things as homelessness, neglect, abuse. betrayal, witnessing violence and systemic racism can have lasting effects that can also affect brain development.
Hancock called for creative alternatives to suspensions, such as supervised community service and in-school "change" rooms where students are kept in school and off the streets with supervised activities.
She also advocated for something called “sanctuary schools” that promote non-violent behavior, emotional intelligence, open communication and a greater understanding and awareness of students' backgrounds. Such schools are developed from within and are staffed by teachers with 100% buy-in of the foundational concepts, she said. "You're willing to spend time to educate yourself to understand that your world possibly--more than likely--is extremely different from theirs. And to be able to understand and do that in a non-judgmental way is extremely profound and validates and empowers your students,' she said.
Hancock said she advocated for change while serving as K-U-S-D superintendent, but received resistance.
Current Unified Superintendent Sue Savaglio-Jarvis was among nearly two-dozen K-U-S-D staff members in the standing-room-only audience.
Afterward, Savaglio-Jarvis said the district has experimented with some alternatives to suspension, but she said more could be done along the lines of the concepts that were advocated Tuesday night by Pritchett and Hancock.
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