Talking to students who are being punished, such as students in ISS (in school suspension), I find that the attitude is one of indifference. They tend to view the punishment as something that just happened, over which they have no control (like the weather). They do not feel remorse. They tend not to feel that they did something wrong, and if they would have behaved differently they would not be punished. Asking them to write a defense forces them to think about their behavior and responsibilities. It also forces the administration to be fair, and not to mete out the punishment if they feel the student gave a valid and proper defense. What is important is for students to think about their behavior. Schools should encourage such thinking by making them write.

 

When I ask students why they are in ISS, they frequently said that they cut classes because they are bored. Our challenge as educators is to help them learn how to study and how to think so that they do not become bored, and remain in school.