Res 0539-2018

By Council Member Holden Whereas, As reported by the New York Post, during school year 2017-18 there were 2,718 weapons confiscated in Department of Education (DOE) schools, which was a 28 percent increase from the previous school year; and Whereas, At a November 2017 City Council hearing, New York Police Department Assistant Chief Brian Conroy testified that the majority of weapons confiscated in DOE schools, such as certain kitchen knives, are not illegal; and Whereas, Assistant Chief Conroy also testified that under current DOE policy, students who bring these weapons to school are not arrested or given summonses; and Whereas, According to a 2017 report released by New York University, some parents and teachers have stated that DOE's discipline policy, outlined in the 2017 Citywide Behavioral Expectations to Support Student Learning policy, makes it challenging for educators to address student behavior issues; and Whereas, This policy encourages schools to address student misbehavior through restorative justice practices, which provide an alternative approach to address student misconduct; and Whereas, As reported in a 2017 Chalkbeat article, while there has been a notable decrease in student suspensions in DOE schools, due largely to the adoption of DOE's current discipline policies, some teachers and critics argue that many schools are struggling to manage student behavior; and Whereas, According to DOE's 2018 School Student Survey results, in nearly all schools taking the survey, at least one student indicated that students have physical fights at their school; and Whereas, DOE's Bill of Student Rights and Responsibilities states that students are responsible for behaving in a way that contributes to a safe place that does not hinder other students' right to an education; and Whereas, Research completed by Duke University and the North Carolina Family Impact Seminar revealed that suspension is effective in removing students who misbehave from school, offering short-term breaks to frustrated school staff, and raising parent awareness of their child's misbehavior; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the New York City Department of Education to amend its 2017 Citywide Behavioral Expectations to Support Student Learning policy. LS # 6309 9/4/18 KJ