1 week Ago By Letters to the Editor
On April 23, President Trump signed an executive order to reinstate common-sense school discipline policies. Some called it controversial. As a public school teacher, I call it necessary.
For too long, educators have been expected to manage classrooms without real support. Students who repeatedly disrupt or endanger others often face minimal consequences, not due to a lack of care, but because discipline data has become more important than discipline itself. The previous federal approach aimed to reduce disparities, which was well-intentioned, but in practice it made teachers hesitate and principals second-guess.
Schools became chaotic, and students who came to learn paid the price. This executive order doesn’t call for harsh punishment. It supports practical tools educators need, like detention for reflection, in-school suspension to break cycles of disruption, behavior contracts that outline clear expectations and community service that teaches responsibility.
Loss of privileges, parent conferences, and, in extreme cases, expulsion, are all valid tools when applied fairly and consistently. These aren’t harsh. They’re structured.
They’re how we restore respect, safety and balance in schools. Of course, we still need oversight to prevent bias or abuse. But discipline, when done right, isn’t injustice; it’s accountability.
It builds character. This isn’t about targeting students. It’s about protecting the schools and empowering those who teach.
It’s time to let educators lead again, with clarity, consistency and common sense. Kameron Holzendorf Fairfield.
