Court For Student Misbehavior? Crazy!!!

I read this article this morning about the "criminalization of student behavior". This basically translate to adolescents being sent through the court system for inappropriate behavior in school. Granted, adolescents are really acting out in ways that we have never seen before however letting the courts deal with school issues is not the answer.

In many states, including Texas, schools are increasingly sending misbehaving students to court instead of the principal’s office.

Critics call this practice “the criminalization of student discipline.”

According to a recent story in the Washington Post about Texas schools,”Six in 10 students were suspended or expelled at least once from seventh grade on. After their first suspension, they were nearly three times more likely to be involved in the juvenile justice system the next year, compared with students with no such disciplinary referrals.”

Anger management instituted in the school system is a better and more current process of discipline and learning than the antiquated use of suspension and expulsion. For me suspensions are a few days out of school to hang out and play video games and the thought of sending an adolescent to court should be reserved for extreme behaviors.

I have been monitoring the school systems that use anger management. I am currently writing a post for the third time about the California School district that successfully instituted anger management district wide. Over the past few years anger management has shown to be an enormous success. As a matter of fact in the first year of instituting the process the program proved to be an immediate success. To me that says the district matched the need with an ideal solution.

There may be some cases that warrant court intervention however there needs to be effective school alternatives instituted. Right now there is suspension on one end and court which I believe in many cases is too extreme and probably in the long run detrimental. Somewhere between these two options of discipline I believe is a more effective and appropriate solution with a greater long term yield for positive adolescent growth. Sending adolescents to court for school offenses may just possibly be breeding a new type of young adult that just might be a hybrid we will eventually regret. School districts need to seriously look into providing anger management in the school system. Those schools that have instituted anger management are experiencing very positive results.

If you or someone you know needs anger management please call: Yacine Bell, director of the Anger Management Institute, LLC, 510.393.0250

Anger Management Classes In the Public Schools

Oakland Unified School District needs to try offering anger management on an experimental basis. Since anger management is considered education, the school does not lose its daily student allowance. Anger Management is a far better and more current response to poor behavior than the antiquated use of suspensions and expulsions. There just isn't any learning nor behavior change for today's adolescent by suspending them. Suspension is just a few days out of school to play video games and hang out!!

School age kids are under continual pressure. I believe that the media, peers, parents dreams and expectations contribute to the behavior patterns and violence that I am experiencing with my adolescent clients. Considering that the 150 year tradition of expulsion and suspension is still the way today's students are held accountable for inappropiate behavior, instituiting anger management is, to some degree, out of the box thinking. Once effective diciplinary tools, expulsion and suspension are ineffective with 21st century adolescents and teens. Anger management is proving to be far more effective and current in addressing today's adolecents' inappropriate behavior.

Everyone gets angry from time to time. It's how they handle the anger that makes the difference. Many school age adolescents simply haven't learned or do not have conflict resolution skills or anger management tools. Anger management classes teach these tools and improves behavior. The Oakland Unified School System needs to take a look at other school district's processes for anger management.

The Merced School District in California has instituted an anger management program required for youths who get in trouble. This effective program is proving to be enormously successful effective. Kelly Bentz, a Merced Union High School program, adminstrator, found the current anger and behavior issues in the district chronic among adolescents and describes that anger and violence as not just a school issue; but a community issue as well.

In the 2009-10 school year, 427 students in Central California, Atwater, Buhare Colony, Golden Valley, Merced, Livingston, Sequoia and Yosemite high Schools were referred to anger management classes. Although of these incidents were fights that occurred off campus, however the behavior did not exempt the students from having to take at least 10 sessions of anger management.

Offering anger management in the Central California High Schools is relatively new, yet it is clear to officials that they have hit upon an immediate success with the 75 minute anger management classes. Yer Xiong, the district's children and youth liaison, started facilitating anger management groups at campuses in the district a few years ago. In Xiong’s observations "generally students don't know what else to do to resolve anger so they fight" without thinking of the consequences.

I have said this many times and will continue.

The Anger Management Institute provides an excellent anger management curriculum for adolescents and adults privately and in groups. If you or someone you know needs help with adolescent anger management please call: Yacine Bell @ 510.393.0250

Anger Management Institute's New Services

Stress and anger are identified as two principal factors that proceed acts of agression towards another person. The Anger Management Institute believes that any entering client can be taught to recognize and manage these two contributing factors which are roadblocks to positive interpersonal relationships. If you or someone you know has an anger issue the Anger Managment Institute, LLC can provide you with the help you need. We specialize in employer ordered, court ordered, and self referred clients. We are an evidenced based practice with both a pre-and post assessment tool to accurately measure a clients growth.

Our facilitators provide services in Spanish, English, Manderin and Cantonese.

Please call today for a free consultation.

Anger Management Institute, LLC 510.393.0250