When most people think about school suspensions, they think about discipline. They think a student broke a rule and received a consequence. What many people do not think about is what happens after the student leaves the building. 
 
A suspension may last a few days, but its effects can last much longer. 
 
As someone who cares deeply about educational equity and opportunity, I have often wondered how we can expect students to succeed when we remove them from the very place designed to help them learn. Education has long been considered the pathway out of poverty. Yet, every year, thousands of students are sent home, missing valuable classroom instruction, academic support, and opportunities to stay connected to their education. 
 
When a student is suspended, they do not just miss school. They miss lessons that cannot be recreated. They miss classroom discussions, group projects, quizzes, tests, and the chance to ask questions when they do not understand something. While some students may be able to catch up quickly, many struggle to recover academically. 
 
For some families, a suspension creates challenges that extend beyond the classroom. Parents may have to leave work unexpectedly, use unpaid time off, or scramble to find someone to supervise their child. For families already living paycheck to paycheck, even one missed day of work can create financial strain. 
 
The reality is that a suspension impacts more than a student’s behavior. It impacts learning, family stability, and future opportunities. 
 
Research shows that students who are suspended are more likely to fall behind academically, miss additional school days, and face a higher risk of dropping out. When students leave school without a diploma, their employment options become more limited. Lower educational attainment is closely linked to lower lifetime earnings, higher unemployment rates, and increased economic hardship. 
 
This is not an argument against accountability. Schools should absolutely have expectations, boundaries, and consequences. Every student deserves a safe learning environment. However, we must ask ourselves an important question: Does removing students from school actually solve the problem, or does it create new ones? 
 
What if, instead of sending students home, we focused on keeping them engaged? What if discipline included opportunities to learn from mistakes, repair harm, build relationships, and remain connected to their education? 
 
Many schools are already exploring alternatives such as restorative practices, mentoring programs, conflict resolution, and in-school interventions. These approaches allow schools to address behavior while preserving what matters most—the student’s access to learning. 
 
Every day a student spends in school is an investment in their future. Every lesson learned, every skill developed, and every connection made can help shape the course of a young person’s life. 
 
When we suspend students, we may be unintentionally taking away opportunities that can never be replaced. If we are serious about reducing poverty and creating pathways to success, we must carefully examine the policies that remove students from the classroom. 
 
Education opens doors. The question is whether our disciplinary practices are helping students walk through those doors—or quietly closing them before they get the chance. 
 
As a community, we cannot afford to view suspensions as isolated incidents. We must recognize them for what they often become: missed opportunities, interrupted learning, and barriers that can follow students long after the suspension ends. 
 
Our goal should not simply be to punish behavior. Our goal should be to prepare young people for successful futures. And that starts by keeping them connected to the one place designed to help them get there: school. 

Naishah Brown Ebanks is a trauma-informed advocate, speaker, and community leader dedicated to improving outcomes for children, youth, and families. Drawing from both lived and professional experience, she champions systems change, youth empowerment, and family well-being. She believes that every child deserves the opportunity to thrive—and that resilience is often built one relationship at a time. 

To learn more about the impact of exclusionary discipline on students, please visit: Common Sense Reform to School Discipline in New York – The Children’s Agenda

To learn about suspensions in your area, please visit: County Level Research and Fact Sheets – The Children’s Agenda or NYS Legislative District Reports – The Children’s Agenda

To learn more about the Solutions Not Suspensions campaign, please visit SOLUTIONS NOT SUSPENSIONS