Recent findings published in Psychological Medicine suggest that suspending or expelling students who act out in school could lead them to develop long-term mental health problems.
The study also showed that troubled children and those with learning disabilities and mental health issues are more likely to be excluded from the classroom. But banishment from school, even if temporary, may trigger a range of mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety and behavioral disturbance. Researchers note that boys, pupils in secondary educational institutions and kids who live in deprived communities are more frequently punished with exclusion.
Experts caution that isolation can encourage the same bad behaviors that this penalty is meant to curb. Researchers say schools should instead provide timely support to students with behavioral challenges to make removal from the school unnecessary.
What’s more, with more productive and efficient classrooms, teachers benefit too.