At an Alabama House committee meeting, a divide over a student exclusion bill

Representatives of education groups were divided Wednesday over a bill that creates guidelines for students’ exclusion from classrooms.

SB 157, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, is a “Teacher’s Bill of Rights” that establishes specific reasons a child can be excluded from a classroom, including disorderly conduct; threats to a teacher or staffer or willful disobedience. The legislation outlines a process to take a child out of a classroom with punishments that can go up to transfers to an alternative school. The bill also provides a readmission and appeals process.

“It will authorize teachers to exclude disruptive students under certain circumstances,” said Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, who carried the bill in committee.

The House Education Policy Committee did not vote on the legislation on Wednesday. The Senate approved the bill on April 5.

An amendment was also discussed at the meeting, which among other changes would require that a teacher first follow an approved classroom management plan and limit disciplinary decisions for a student removed twice in a semester to a principal.

Several states have increased punishments for disruptive students since the end of the pandemic.

The debate over the bill revolved around actions teachers could take versus local school board autonomy. Proponents of the bill said that disruptive students were an issue for classrooms and contributed to the teacher shortage.

Kristy Shaw, a first grade teacher, said that a student who was repeatedly disruptive in her classroom impacted the learning of other students.

“Valuable instructional time was lost,” she said.

Allison King, government relations manager for the Alabama Education Association, told a story about a teacher who was physically injured in the classroom by a young student. She said administrators took no action, leading to the teacher’s resignation.

“I could give you dozens of stories just like this one,” she said.

Other members of the education community said that the issues around student discipline would be better addressed locally.

Ryan Hollingsworth, executive director of School Superintendents of Alabama, said that many of his concerns were addressed in the amendment. But he said the legislation could interfere with codes of conduct that he said should be handled locally.

“I probably don’t have the authority, but I would love to move the bill to place this bill in a subcommittee,” he said.

Randy Smalley, a member of the Tuscaloosa County School Board and a district director for the Alabama Association of School Boards, said the bill disregards local disciplinary procedures. He also said the bill conflicted with pending student due process bills that AASB supports.

“With this process that we have in play as our school policy, we have not had one parent come and argue in non-support of what the recommendation of expulsion or suspension is,” he said.

Vic Wilson, executive director of Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools, said that his wife left the classroom over discipline issues, so he asked her permission to speak against the bill. He said that what King spoke of was terrible but should have been handled locally.

“Those administrators failed,” he said.

He said he wants to make sure that teachers can teach, but he doesn’t want it to come from state legislation. He also took issue what he called a a “two-strikes” policy in the bill.

If a student is excluded from the classroom twice in one semester, then to return, the principle, teacher and, if possible, parent or guardian will have a meeting; the teacher and principal agree on a course of discipline; and the parent or guardian must be informed.

The bill also outlines the path for further infractions. The amendment would make the change of only the principal setting a course of disciplinary action.

Garrett took issue with looking at the bill as two-strikes, which requires being removed from the classroom twice. He said that currently the policies are more reactive than proactive.

Chair Terri Collins, R-Decatur, said that they would not be voting Wednesday due to the changes.

The bill needs two legislative days to pass the House. There are seven days left in the 2024 legislative session.