SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - “We commend Governor Gavin Newsom for signing into law SB 419, which will ban California’s administrators from suspending students in grades 4-8 for “willful defiance.” With his signature, the governor is acknowledging the overuse of school suspensions for minor or subjective reasons as well as school suspensions’ role in the crisis of school pushout among students of color.

“Willful defiance is an undefined provision of the state education code that accounts for 16% of out of school suspensions statewide. Black students are much more likely than their white peers to be suspended for disruption or defiance for the same offenses, causing them to miss critical learning time and opportunities to grow. Disabled students and students experiencing trauma are also more likely to be suspended,” said Ross.

“Punitive discipline doesn’t work. Research shows that suspended students are often pushed into dropping out of school and are more likely to be locked up in youth prisons. We need to put student’s health and academic outcomes first. Following the success of 2014 legislation that prevented more than 15,000 suspensions of K-3 students in the ‘14-‘15 school year alone, SB 419 will help even more students benefit from research-based discipline practices that keep them in the classroom, create a welcoming school culture, improve behavior, and build resilience.

During the 2017-18 school year, more than 20,000 students in grades four through eight were suspended for defiance or disruption. While this bill ensures grades K-8 can benefit, there are still nearly 19,000 high school students who were suspended for defiance in the 2017-2018 school year who will not have these protections. These students also have a right to an education.

“Across California, there is growing momentum to prioritize supportive, healing alternatives to suspensions in schools including restorative practices, positive behavioral intervention, and social emotional learning. This legislation would not have been possible without the tireless work of students and community leaders who fought to protect the education of students of color. We appreciate Gov. Newsom’s leadership in listening to them and working to keep kids in school where they can learn and thrive,” Ross concluded.