Alternative methods of discipline needed for Native students

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Many of the methods currently used to discipline and control the behaviour of disruptive students may prove ineffective when dealing with Native students, say experts.

Rather than curbing the offending behaviour, expulsions and suspensions may inadvertently reward students with time away from a school environment that often seems both unaware of and indifferent to Native culture.

"I'm generally not convinced they (expulsion and suspensions) work well with any student," said Dr. Marianne Ignace. "But with non-Native students you may get a situation where an expulsion will prompt parents to say 'OK, smarten up' This kind of reaction will occur only when there is a home/school relationship where the parents trust the school.

"Unfortunately, many Native parents are dealing with the legacy of residential schooling."

Ignace co-ordinates a university program for First Nation students between Skewetmec and Simon Fraser University in the Shushwap area of British Columbia. She explains that there are a number of reasons why these forms of discipline are ineffective.

For many Native parents, school has largely been a very traumatic experience.

Not surprisingly, they are often reluctant to support the schools use of expulsions and suspensions, which can limit the effectiveness of such methods of discipline, she said.

Another restriction on the effectiveness of such punishments is the perception that Native students are often punished for acts brought about by the racism of other students.

Even when Native students are not the instigators, race really becomes a label, and they tend to receive the harsher punishment, said Ignace.

"Native students can be left with the impression of why bother?"

In these instances the punishments are ineffective because they are unjust, and may only encourage students to act out because they feel they will be punished either way.

John Cardinal, a Native liaison worker with Edmonton Public Schools echoes many of the points made by Ignace. As part of his duties, Cardinal is often called upon to meet with students and their parents following such disciplinary actions.

He admits it can often be a frustrating experience, as parents who have been throughout the residential school experience are not only distrustful of the school; system, but often less than enthusiastic about education in general.

"A lot of the time they want me to choose sides," he explained. "Either I'm helping them as Native parents or I'm on the side of the school system. It can be very hard."

Cardinal has also seen the impact of the labelling that accompanies student behaviour.

"Often if a kid has done something once, they will continue to be blamed in the future," said Cardinal. "When you do try to change and better yourself and then something happens and you get pulled into the office anyway you think what's the use?

I may as well be bad."

Cardinal shared his experiences with other members of the Native community and with school board administrators earlier this spring at a meeting designed to examine the unique educational needs of Native students. The results of the meeting were presented in a report to the school board trustees on April 26.

In addition to examining the need for alternatives to suspension, the report also identified such issues as the factors contributing to the poor performance of Native students, the need for better communication between the schools and parents, the need for schools to be more knowledgeable of Native culture and the need for the Native students to develop pride in their own culture.

Cardinal points out that Native liaison workers are already involved with many of the issues identified in the report. As part of his activities, he also teaches cultural awareness classes to both Native and non-Native students, counsels students individually, and tries to educate teachers about Native culture and customs. Unfortunately, it is sometimes difficult to accomplish such tasks whenstudents are already of high-school age.

"Elementary school seems to be the right time to start teaching them cultural awareness," he says. "Rather than trying to undo what they have learned."

Connie Grandinetti is a Native liaison worker at the Edmonton's Eastwood School. Like Cardinal, she serves as a bridge between Native students, their parents and the school system. Her students range from Grade 1 to 9, and often are considered to be at risk.

On any given day she may be arranging for food hampers, performing crisis intervention or leading a sweetgrass ceremony.

For her kids, poverty, family violence and hunger make discipline measures like suspension a difficult choice for teachers.

"A lot of times we have no other alternatives, but a lot of times we're sending them into a situation that's worse than keeping them in school," she said.

Grandinetti admits that alternatives are hard to come up with.

The school makes use of in-school suspensions, so that kids don't see suspensions as a two or three day holiday.

Like many other workers in the schools, Grandinetti believes one of the best alternatives is to make school such a comfortable place to be that missing school really is a negative thing.

Activities like sweetgrass ceremonies help to create a sense of community among the kids.

"It helps for them to have a sense of belonging," she explained.

In addition to fostering a sense of community, such ceremonies also help instill a sense of cultural pride and awareness in both Native and non-Native students, say experts.

In the long run, this may be the best alternative to the methods of discipline that have traditionally been used.