The Brevard Public Schools Board Chairman and the Brevard Federation of Teachers gave more details on why a new code of conduct was required at the school district on Tuesday, November 29, 2022.

“We’ve had a situation where our teachers and our staff do not feel safe about what’s happening,” Matt Susin BPS board chairman said.

Vanessa Skipper the teacher’s union vice president reiterated those same sentiments.

“We’ve had a situation where our teachers and our staff do not feel safe about what’s happening,” Matt Susin BPS board chair said.

Vanessa Skipper, the teacher’s union vice president, reiterated those same sentiments. Skipper, is also a BPS secondary teacher, and she said she has seen firsthand how a disruptive student can affect a classroom and how challenging it’s been to punish them.

“Most calls we get [at the teacher’s union] office are about discipline,” she said. “They’re about students, teachers being frustrated because they’ve been hit, they’ve been kicked, they’ve been bitten.”

The educator of 17 years said it’s heartbreaking to see that several of her peers have left the teaching industry completely because they no longer believe they can control their classroom under the current policy.

She said under the current policy it’s difficult to apply the proper punishment.

“Sometimes a behavior happens and the behavior and the behavior isn’t defined as it should be,” Skipper said. “It’s defined as a lesser offense and a lesser discipline is given.”

According to the district’s disciplinary data, less than 10 students were expelled, meanwhile over 2,500 were suspended in-school, over 4,400 were suspended out-of-school and 139 students were physically restrained last school year.

“We’ve had a situation where our teachers and our staff do not feel safe about what’s happening,” she said.

Before Thanksgiving, 42 teachers quit because of rowdy students.

Susin said he will work with the school board, the teacher’s union, The Department of Children and Families, Brevard Sheriff Wayne Ivey, and State Attorney Phil Archer to draft a new code of conduct.

In response, many teachers said they were excited. He said he hopes with the new policy it could show students of all ages there will be consequences to their action.

“I’ve actually had past teachers saying they’re coming back into the schools because they feel we might finally clear up the discipline,” he said.

Something Susin said he would like to see in the new policy would be to increase punishment for students who attack school staff, upgrading discipline for repeat offenders of lower level disciplinary referrals, and imposing a cell phone ban.

Skipper said several teachers have reported students taking photos or filming them in the classroom and posting those images on social media.

“We’ve had teachers leave because of social media bullying,” she said.
Aside from discipline, they both agreed more counseling will be required to help improve student behavior, especially among students returning from suspension.

“When a student participates in that behavior that they have to, before they go back into the learning environment, they have to understand how their behavior affected their other classrooms before they’re allowed to be reintroduced,” she said.

“Part of our issue which does need to be addressed, especially those needed assets, are not part of the conversation so, what we need to do is go out and say how many do we need,” Susin said.

He said the to draft the new code of conduct will take place next week.PS secondary teacher, said she has seen first hand how a disruptive student can impact a classroom and how challenging it’s been to punish them.

“The majority of calls we get [at the teacher’s union] office are about discipline,” she said. “They’re about students, teachers being frustrated because they’ve been hit, they’ve been kicked, they’ve been bitten.”

The educator of 17 years said it’s heartbreaking to see that several of her peers have left the teaching industry completely because they no longer believe they can control their classroom under the current policy.

She said under the current policy it’s difficult to apply the proper punishment.

“Sometimes a behavior happens and the behavior and the behavior isn’t defined as it should be,” Skipper said. “It’s defined a lesser offense and a lesser discipline is given.”

According to the district’s disciplinary data, less than 10 students were expelled, meanwhile more than 2,500 were suspended in-school, more than 4,400 were suspended out-of-school and 139 students were physically restrained last school year.

“We’ve had a situation where our teachers and our staff do not feel safe about what’s happening.”

Susin before Thanksgiving 42 teachers quit because of rowdy students.

He said when news broke he, the school board, the teacher’s union, The Department of Children and Families, Brevard Sheriff Wayne Ivey, and State Attorney Phil Archer will draft a new code of conduct many teachers said they were excited. He said he hopes with the new policy it could show students of all ages there will be consequences to their action.

“I’ve actually had past teachers saying they’re coming back into the schools because they feel we might finally clear up the discipline,” he said.

Something Susin said he would like to see in the new policy would be to increase punishment for students who attack school staff, upgrading discipline for repeat offenders of lower level disciplinary referrals, and imposing a cell phone ban.

Skipper said several teachers have reported students taking photos or filming them in the classroom and posting those images on social media.

“We’ve had teachers leave because of social media bullying,” she said.
Aside from discipline, they both agreed more counseling will be required to help improve student behavior especially among students returning from suspension.

“When a student participates in that behavior that they have to, before they go back into the learning environment, they have to understand how their behavior affected their other classrooms before they’re allowed to be reintroduced,” she said.

“Part of our issue which does need to be addressed especially those needed assets are not part of the conversation so, what we need to do is go out and say how many do we need,” Susin said.

He said the to draft the new code of conduct will take place next week.