By Lori Higgins, Chalkbeat Detroit



School leaders would be able to suspend a student after the first instance of fighting. Students who repeatedly disrupt class or are persistently disrespectful could end up in an alternative school. And students would be able to wear shorts — but not short-shorts. These are among the changes the Detroit school district is proposing to the student code of conduct. The proposal, which would give educators more flexibility in dealing with discipline issues, responds to concerns that emerged after the district moved to cut down on suspensions and develop more consistent discipline practices across all schools.

Superintendent Nikolai Vitti has given school board members an overview of the proposed changes during committee meetings in recent weeks. The board is likely to take action on the changes at its July 16 meeting. Vitti said the revamp that the board approved in June 2018 was effective in accomplishing what the district wanted: a more consistent way of dealing with discipline. It also created an emphasis on progressive discipline practices, which require school leaders to consider other options before meting out punishment.

That shift resulted in steep reductions to the number of suspensions issued across the district. The district's data show that overall, suspensions — in-school suspensions and out-of-school suspensions — were down 27% from April 2018 to April 2019. During that same time period, there was a 63% drop in out-of -school suspensions. The latter is key because Vitti has said he wants to curb the number of students being kicked out of school and not receiving an education.

But some educators, students, and families have complained that the changes came at a cost. At a recent school board meeting that drew hundreds of teachers pushing for higher pay, one teacher received loud applause when she told the board that the code "has not improved climate and culture."

During the committee meetings, several board members said they want to ensure that students know there are consequences for their behavior. Corletta Vaughn said she's heard from school leaders multiple times "that sometimes they feel like their hands are tied, based on policy."