The press release published on June 18th, 2024, titled "Discipline Restored in Brevard Public Schools!", states that "the 2023-2024 school year brought a remarkable transformation in our classrooms". Later that same day, the School Board would hold a work session that points to data that supports these claims. During the work session, the district attempted to paint a rosy picture, showcasing positive trends in student discipline in Brevard. This portrait follows the theatrical setting of then Board Chair Matthew Susin standing in front of the Sharpes County Jail with Sheriff Wayne Ivey and State Attorney Phil Archer, on November 28th, 2022.  The message was clear: under Susin's leadership, with newly formed ally Sheriff Wayne Ivey, order in our schools would be restored. The media coverage to this can be found here.

Has discipline in Brevard really been restored? Was there really a plan, or was it just what the public has become accustomed to hearing every time the district 4 incumbent speaks, namely fluff? In reviewing the data presented in the work session, there were some interesting data points that illustrate just the opposite of the press release title, that in fact, discipline has not been restored. Very little has changed; there is no plan; and discipline has actually gotten worse.

In the press release, the district cherry picked the data they wanted to share, and even with this data, there were holes. For example, the district stated the following:

• The consequence “Lunch Detention,” a new code for the 2023-2024 year, was used 9,160 times in lieu of other consequences. This is only substituting lunch detention in place of a morning or after school detention, and isn't really an effective corrective action.

• The district also noted that 263 fewer students were sent to an Alternative Learning Center (ALC), and 312 students opted for the drug diversion program. Therefore, the only reason why the ALC numbers went down is because the district allowed students to participate in a drug diversion program that replaced the ALC/Expulsion option that was recommended in previous years. How can the district state that discipline is restored when there are actually more drug use on campus?  

What the district failed to identify is other statistics that don't support the rosy picture they were trying to portray. For example, the following data was also shared:

• ALC placements for fighting incidents rose over 100%, from 77 incidents in 2022-2023 to 149 in 2023-2024.
• Students that were out of their assigned area rose from 12,012 incidents in 22-23 to 12,712 incidents in 23-24, nearly a 6% increase in incidents.
• Minor classroom disruptions rose from 8,979 incidents in 22-23 to 9,164 in 23-24, a 2% increase.
• Tardiness to class skyrocketed in 23-24, with 10,484 incidents in this school year, compared to 5,398 in 22-23. This was nearly a 100% increase.
• Tardiness to school also rose heavily, from 2098 incidents in 22-23 to 2,814 incidents in 2023-2024. This was a 34% increase.
• Profanity incidents also increased, from 2,508 incidents in 22-23 to 3,078 incidents in 2023-2024, a 23% increase.
• The overall # of discipline referrals and office referrals also increased: The total # of referrals increased from 82,995 to 95, 814, a 15% increase in 2023-2024, and office referrals also increased from 18,484 to 21,426, a 16% increase.
  
  

In conclusion, after more careful review of the 2023-2024 school discipline data, BPS should not be releasing statements that claim that discipline in Brevard "has been restored". The data presented at the June 18, 2024 meeting suggests just the opposite. It has gotten worse. Standing side by side with the sheriff, and making claims that you are going to get tougher on discipline does not work unless there is a plan to address the behavior. Clearly, there was no plan, and the district should not be trying to spread misinformation that they have made strides in restoring discipline, when the numbers suggest otherwise. Was this press release an attempt to misinform the public, or was it an attempt to help support the district 4 incumbent who is trying to get re-elected? The data shared in the School Board Work Session on June 18, 2024 does illustrate that discipline has not been restored.  Give schools the resources needed to address behaviors before they occur.  Develop an actionable plan that is more concrete then a press conference. Parents, students, teachers, and the community deserve better. 

How about a little more transparency with the public, BPS?