Students who misbehave in New York City’s schools are facing leaner penalties this school year, particularly if they smoke, curse or cut class.
Hoping to result in fewer suspensions for students in grades kindergarten through 12th, the city’s updated discipline code has been relaxed on what constitutes out of classroom punishment.
‘Our goal is to make sure the schools are providing a safe environment for our students, but also we just don’t push students out of the classroom where they’re not learning as well,’ Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott told CBS New York.
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Cutting class, cursing and smoking will no longer be grounds for suspension while vandalism and physical altercations in middle and high school students will still maintain grounds for suspension.
Under the new discipline code, students in kindergarten through third grade also have a reduced maximum suspension to five days opposed to 10 for midlevel infractions.
