The administration of discipline at our school can be difficult for faculty, students, and administrators.

Everyday, teachers and staff enforce school rules by writing up students in school.

Teachers and students are often in adversarial positions; the teacher sees an infraction, and the student thinks they are blameless.

Students believe that the teachers are being too strict and feel that the rules are excessive at times.

Teachers believe that what they are doing is right, just, and necessary.

Who is right?

Students want to see things from the teachers’ perspective.

Our research shows that writing up students makes teachers feel horrible. As much as students feel that teachers enjoy writing them up, they actually dislike it a lot.

“I don’t like it. When a student is not present in the classroom, they are not learning. As a teacher, your main goal is to make sure that your student is learning,” said Adam Tate, Digital Applications teacher.

We can all agree that being in the classroom is essential to our learning. But lately, many students have been in the Behavioral Management Center (BMC).

“When students are in BMC, they are really not learning. They  sit in that room and are supposed to be quiet with little to no help on their assignments,” said a teacher who wishes to be anonymous.

Some feel that BMC is punishment and ineffective; others feel that it is effective in helping students manage their behavior.

“I feel that consequences such as BMC are still working. It’s more than punishment. It helps students recognize mistakes. As a teacher, it gives me a chance to listen and lend advice. Which will help students follow the rules,” said Wesley Childress, BMC teacher and assistant football coach.

Teens tend to rebel when they feel cornered or when things don’t go their way. They feel that they can make their own rules and go their own since they’re growing up.

They will also run away from things they don’t understand, hence, the rules.

Some believe that if teachers let students off with a warning and explain to them why they shouldn’t do things, it will create respect and understanding between the two.

“A warning is an effective tool. However, some students use it as an excuse to push boundaries,” said an anonymous teacher.

Teachers are more likely to let off a student who they don’t have to get on constantly. Your character plays a big role in your consequences, as well.

However, there aren’t too many more warnings a teacher can give, so it’s best to correct it after the first mistake.

Some students fix their mistakes right away. For others, they have a harder time.

Some students don’t like authority and hate being told what to do. They have a hard time giving in to the rules and listening.

Based on our research, teachers feel that there could possibly be home-related situations that serves as the reason for this behavior.

“Even though we want to help, we don’t always get the answer. But we try,” said an anonymous teacher.

“Discipline doesn’t mean we dislike you. We are trying to help you see the errors of your ways,” said Adam Tate.

Even though students and teachers don’t always see eye-to-eye, there is love there. Teachers just want to better the students and prepare them for the real world.

Students may look back one day and appreciate the teachers for what they were trying to prepare them for.