LOUISIANA STATE SUPERINTENDENT URGES SYSTEM LEADERS TO “RECOMMIT TO ASSERTIVE DISCIPLINE ACTION”

"Students and teachers deserve peaceful schools"

(BATON ROUGE, LA) - Louisiana State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley is urging school system leaders to "recommit to assertive discipline action." As the first day of school approaches in parishes across the state, Dr. Brumley issued a letter to system leaders this week calling for order in classrooms and affording teachers more disciplinary authority over disruptive students.

"Campus and classroom disruptions are hindering the teaching profession and student learning," Dr. Brumley wrote in the letter. "As we approach a new school year, please recommit to assertive discipline action to create safe and orderly environments where teaching and learning can flourish. Students and teachers deserve peaceful schools."

Dr. Brumley's Let Teachers Teach workgroup dedicated an entire section of their recent recommendations to student behavior and discipline.

In the letter, Dr. Brumley calls attention to a pair of Acts of the 2024 Legislative Session that go into effect August 1.

Act 400: Student Discipline and Teacher Rights

• This law amends existing law and the Teacher Bill of Rights providing that teachers shall have disruptive students removed from their classrooms. Further, it codifies that leaders may not discriminate or retaliate against a teacher seeking to provide an orderly classroom. This act further amends current law to require a conference between the teacher or other appropriate school employee and the student's parents prior to a student being admitted to the same classroom after a third removal due to disruptive behavior.

Act 337: Mandatory Expulsion in Grades 6-12

• This law adds expulsion requirements for conditions involving knives and drugs. Furthermore, the Act provides, notwithstanding other policies, 6-12th graders suspended a third time within the same school year for any offense, excluding those related to dress code or tardiness, shall be recommended for expulsion.

"These laws address behavior complications educators and students faced in previous years and aim to improve the school experience," wrote Dr. Brumley. "Affording teachers more disciplinary authority over disruptive students will maintain order in classrooms. Further, students will benefit as distractions will be lessened and academic outcomes strengthened."

###