Some of East High's teachers gathered at a special meeting on November 5 to air their concerns with city schools Superintendent Jean-Claude Brizard's new suspension policy. The teachers told school board members Melisza Campos and Tom Brennan that the policy has made the school environment dangerous.

There were more than 11,000 short- and long-term suspensions in the 2006-2007 school year. Brizard is concerned that truancy combined with so many out-of-school suspensions put thousands of students at risk of not graduating because, quite simply, they've missed too much school.

In-house suspensions have replaced short-term suspensions, which sent students home. Students receive their regular classroom instruction in rooms separate from their normal classrooms.

The suspension policy is linked to a change in approach to student discipline. Brizard has been critical of a strategy that, he says, sends students home at the first sign of trouble. Teachers who have not learned how to use discipline incrementally have no recourse, he says.

There are rumors that teachers plan to protest the new policy at Thursday's monthly school board meeting.

This may be Brizard's first real test. He has faced down unions in New York City, so he is not likely to be easily intimidated.

Campos says that she heard a lot of frustration from East High teachers at the November 5 meeting.

"What I see are a lot of people having a tough time with change," she says.

She says that is not aware of anyone being hurt as a result of the new policy.

Campos, Brennan, and board member Cynthia Elliott say that they agree with the policy change, but more resources may be needed, especially at East High where there are a large number of junior high students.

Every parent and taxpayer in this community should be alarmed by the high number of suspensions. Something is seriously wrong.

The district has become entrenched in a circle of blame. Teachers feel afraid and unsupported. And too many parents are not engaged - shocking when it comes to something as important as a suspension.

Whatever is enabling so many students to squander their educations, not to mention obstruct learning for others, needs to be dragged out into the sunlight.

It's one thing for students to fail after putting forth their best efforts. It's another for them to think that in this global economy, they don't need to even try.