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Kansas City Public Schools Changes Code Of Conduct

Luke X. Martin
/
KCUR 89.3
You can suspend a kid... but if you never address the root cause, you haven't fixed the problem," says Dr. Mark Bedell on strict punishments for minor infractions.

Kansas City Public Schools is undertaking a substantial shift in the way that it disciplines its students.

Last week, an adjusted code of conduct was approved by the school board with a unanimous vote. This move comes as Black students in Missouri face suspension four times as often as their white peers. The superintendent of KCPS explains why this decision was needed to improve educational and personal outcomes for children in the district.

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