Baltimore Sun Backs Paying Teachers To Reduce Suspensions

The Baltimore Sun (1/21) editorializes on the "controversial program at nine city schools aimed at reducing out-of-school student suspensions" which rewards teachers and administrators with cash bonuses "for keeping troublesome or disruptive students in class rather than sending them home on suspension," noting that "the union worries that such financial incentives might blind some administrators and staff to bad behavior or even cause them to ignore potential threats to classroom safety. Preventing unnecessary suspensions is important because keeping kids in school is almost always better than putting them out on the streets, where the likelihood of their getting into more serious mischief cannot be dismissed." The paper concedes that the program could be called "tricky," but concludes that it is worth trying.