The Politics of Discipline: Balancing School Safety and Rights of Students with Disabilities

Abstract

The present study examined how public school administrators negotiate discipline policies that are intended to protect the common good and the educational rights of students with disabilities. We investigated the political nature of these decisions and the strategies used in reaching them through interviews with administrators in 9 public high schools in New York State. Administrators were aware of a tension between individual rights and the common good when resolving discipline issues. The degree of tension was affected by a variety of factors including the way in which discipline hearings were conducted and the availability of resources. Finally, we found that administrators rely heavily on negotiating skills and processes as they implement policies that sometimes reflect competing democratic values.