The LIGHT Center, T-90, College of the Redwoods (476-4290) - April 16, 2001

TO TELL OR NOT TO TELL

A couple of weeks ago, this newsletter addressed the issue of a student with a developmental delay and the subsequent suspension from the College. There were a number of individuals who sent feedback about that issue.  Most of the feedback was questioning the need to have the student removed, and asking if there wasn’t some other sort of action that could have been taken to keep the student on campus.  I found myself defending the decision that was made.  I also found myself needing to clearly think through the reasons behind the decision that was made in this case and other similar actions that have taken place.

The Student Code of Conduct is designed to give a student clear information and guidelines regarding their behavioral expectations while on campus. The code spans the breadth of behaviors from as serious as forgery or knowledge of weapon all the way to smoking in a prohibited area.  The thing to keep in mind here is that the Code of Conduct is to be applied to all students.  This code does not differentiate based on gender, ethnicity.  Added to this list should be disability.   A student with a disability has to abide by the same rules and behaviors as any other student on campus. 

It is very easy to give the student with a disability more leeway when they have violated the Code of Conduct.  This is especially true when the individual’s appearance or social interaction makes it clear that a disability is present.  Don’t most of us think…”I don’t want to get him in trouble”, “she/he doesn’t understand”, ”life must be so hard for that person”? Perhaps there is also a latent fear that by reporting a student with a disability there are grounds for being considered “biased” or “prejudiced” against people with disabilities.  The desire to give the student with a disability “a break” is very compelling.  Even those of us who work directly with students with disabilities on a daily basis feel that desire.  However, it is important to remember that by looking the other way, or increasing your level of tolerance because of whom the student is, does no one a favor.

Most students with a disability, as well as most students without disabilities follow the specified rules and get along fine.  There are those in both groups that do not.  Verbal inappropriateness in terms of class interruption or possibly outbursts of anger should not be tolerated. Inappropriate or unsolicited touching of either another student or a staff member is not to be tolerated.  A student who follows another student around campus even though he/she has been asked to cease is not to be tolerated.  The bottom line here is that it is the behavior that has to be judged as appropriate or inappropriate, not the individual demonstrating the behavior.  Just because the student has a disability, this should never be used as a license to behave in a way that violates the code of conduct.  By allowing the behavior to continue, you are depriving the individual of a learning experience essential to their social development.

Comments?          mailto:trish-blair@eureka.redwoods.edu

Quotation of the Week

While we are free to choose our actions, we are not free to choose the consequences of our actions. -- Stephen Covey

EASIER SAID THAN DONE?

Everyone learns through experience.  We each need to experience the various behavioral changing agents to shape our behavior to meet with societal norms.  There are two primary mechanisms through which this is done.

Positive Reinforcement
This occurs when we are rewarded for appropriate behavior.  The more natural the reinforcement, the more effective the learning.  An example would be receiving a note or a warm thank-you for having done someone a small favor.  We learn that the favor behavior results in pleasant outcomes and are more likely to repeat that behavior.

Negative Reinforcement
This is the withholding of a pleasant consequence.  For example, if we are rude to someone who is having a party, we end up not getting an invitation to the party (making the assumption that the invitation is considered pleasant). We learn that when we act in certain ways, we may not be included in activities.

Does all this sound cold hearted?  Each and every student has rules to follow regardless of who they are or their situation. The way in which it is handled can be somewhat modified depending on the circumstances. Through Diabasis and other resources on campus, we all try to deal with the student and the situation in the most appropriate way.  By reporting or dealing with the initial incidents, we are allowing the student to naturally learn from their mistake and change their behavior.  By looking the other way we deny that opportunity, and often force a safety measure such as suspension.