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Parent urges Comsewogue board to revise out‑of‑school suspension policy for elementary students
Summary
A district parent urged trustees to reduce exclusionary discipline for elementary students, citing research showing long‑term harms and asking the board to adopt restorative practices and review supports for students with autism and other special needs.
A district parent urged the Brookhaven‑Comsewogue Board of Education to revise the district’s out‑of‑school suspension policy for elementary students and to adopt restorative alternatives, citing research about long‑term harms and a desire for better supports for students with special needs.
Shana Waterbury Shaw, a resident and parent of elementary‑age children in the district, told trustees she has “firsthand knowledge of students as young as 6 years old being suspended out of school” and urged the board to consider restorative practices to keep students engaged academically and reduce future disciplinary issues. Shaw referenced the Terryville Road Elementary School student handbook while asking the board to review research and county resources she provided.
Shaw cited several sources in her remarks and the handout she asked the board to accept: a National Library of Medicine study on long‑term educational and criminal justice outcomes after school suspension, New York State Education Department/Board of Regents recommendations on reducing discipline disparities, and a Suffolk County fact sheet on school suspension. She also noted forthcoming trainings from the New York State Regional Centers for Autism Spectrum Disorder and urged the district to use evidence‑based practices to better support children with autism and other developmental disorders.
“Research consistently demonstrates that exclusionary discipline practices, such as out‑of‑school suspensions, can have long‑term detrimental effects on students,” Shaw told trustees, adding that suspension can mean “lower math and reading scores, decreased school trust and identification with school, increased risk of dropout and criminal justice involvement,” particularly for students with special needs. Shaw asked trustees to consider policy revisions that emphasize restorative approaches and keep students in instructional settings where possible.
A board member asked Shaw to email the materials she had provided so district staff and trustees could review them. The meeting record shows no board action on the topic during the session; the remarks were entered as public comment.
