Behavior and Discipline - The school's responsibilities

I keep reading over and over again the same story. School labels child as a discipline problem yet fails to identify the cause of the behaviors. In other words, they blame the parents for lack of discipline or they blame nature and say this child is just inherently bad.

Schools need to address problem behaviors by completing Functional Behavior Assessments.

Taken from: http://cecp.air.org/fba/problembehavior2/rationale2.htm
When a student’s behavior disrupts classroom instruction, teachers often address the problem by manipulating events that follow the misbehavior (e.g., verbal reprimands, isolation, detention, suspension). Experience has shown that this approach fails to teach the student acceptable replacement behaviors (i.e., behaviors that are expected under certain circumstances).

The logic behind functional behavioral assessment is that practically all behavior occurs within a particular context and serves a specific purpose. Students learn to behave (or misbehave) in ways that satisfy a need or results in a desired outcome. Students will change their behavior only when it is clear that a different response will more effectively and efficiently result in the same outcome. Identifying the purpose of problem behaviors or more specifically, what the student "gets" or "avoids" through those behaviors) can provide information that is essential to developing instructional strategies and supports to reduce or eliminate behaviors that interfere with successful classroom performance or participation

If your child falls under one of these "disciplinary problem" labels, contact your school in writing and request a Functional Behavior Assessment. Only then, can everyone involved get to the root of the behavior and then give the child the tools he needs to stop (or start, in some cases) the behaviors in question.