When Data and Reality Diverge on Student Behavior

Even before that town hall meeting, I had spoken at legislative coffee hours and conferences on this issue. Every time, my comments were met with affirmation and applause because educators recognized the truth. Afterward, they would share their own stories.

We school employees love our students. We know these incidents are complex and layered; that’s why we call ourselves “a union of professionals.” We don’t claim to have all the answers. But enough is enough.

Neither are we demanding blanket suspensions or expulsions. We understand the nuance. But when classrooms are literally destroyed, when staff are injured and repeatedly disrespected but nothing happens — or worse, when they’re blamed — then we need solutions.

We Must Be Heard

At the very least, we need to speak about this issue openly and honestly, in safe spaces. And be heard. Many new educators are afraid to make waves. Veteran educators simply try to get through the day. And you probably already know that when these behaviors erupt, all learning stops — not just for the student who’s acting out but for every child in the room, and often in surrounding rooms and hallways.

And what about the trauma to students who witness this behavior? When the incident is over, they’re asked to carry on as if nothing happened, although many are left unsettled. In “classroom clears” — situations where behavior becomes so dangerous that staff and students must evacuate for their safety — kids are asked to gather their things, move to another space and resume learning as though the disruption never happened.

Then there is the property damage. At the end of one school year, my teacher and I calculated that about half of our classroom materials had been ruined by repeated acting out. Books were torn, manipulatives destroyed, windows broken, drywall and posters shredded and supplies trashed. These weren’t just objects; they were the tools meant to support learning. Their loss didn’t show up in any report but illustrated our reality.

Hiding In Plain Sight

Last year at a national meeting of educators, I asked about rising incidents of misbehavior. The presenter, although thoughtful, was beholden to the data. When I pointed out that reality doesn’t match the numbers, we couldn’t move past it, which only proved my point. We educators know how important data is. However, there is more to it than meets the eye.

Surveys show that teacher shortages are worsening, with student behavior often cited as a top reason for departures and early retirements. The numbers may capture suspensions or criminal acts, but they miss the daily grind of disrespect, defiance and emotional dysregulation that wears us down.

This is a national crisis hiding in plain sight. When policymakers rely on narrow definitions of misconduct, they miss the reality that classrooms are being disrupted in ways that don’t show up in statistics. And when educators’ voices are excluded from shaping policy, the gap between data and reality grows wider.

How To Make It Right

If we want to retain great educators, we need to listen to them. We need social supports. We need to tease apart the data so that teachers, paraprofessionals, bus drivers and other staff are no longer invisible. And we need to respect their expertise. Here’s what our leaders must do:

• Pay attention to educators and school staff, not just the numbers.
• Disaggregate the data by disability, setting and role.
• Invest in trauma-informed training, behavior specialists and mental health services.
• Respect the expertise of educators, especially in special education and support roles.

We can’t fix what we refuse to see. And we can’t retain great educators if we don’t support them.

To my fellow educators: You are not imagining this. You are not alone. And your voice matters. Together with your local union, document what’s missing. Speak up in numbers too large to ignore, because burnout thrives in silence. Challenge the narrative, because your truth is valid. Enlist the support of parents, because ignoring the problem doesn’t do their children any favors. You may be heartened by how much parents back you up.

If you can, attend school board and community meetings, legislator office hours and coffee hours. Tell the truth. If speaking to a group feels difficult, talk with elected officials or staff privately.

This is our moment to reclaim the truth. Not to shame or blame, but to improve our children’s education.

Jeff Whittle is a special education paraprofessional in Eastpointe, Mich., with more than 30 years of experience in Michigan public schools.

Republished with permission from AFT Voices.