According to Character.org, one key approach to dealing with stealing in schools is having open discussions about honesty and the consequences of stealing, helping students understand the impact their actions have on others.
Peer mentoring programs involve older students helping younger ones with their problems, including bullying. The programs can provide support and guidance, making it easier for students to talk about and deal with bullying. Learn more here!
Some people believe that school uniforms encourage fairness and contribute to a safer environment, allowing students to focus more on learning. Others argue that uniforms restrict students' freedom of expression, a right that is guaranteed by the First Amendment. Learn more here!
Arizona has a law that requires schools to have policies on bullying, harassment and intimidation, with the message that bullying is not tolerated. Arizona is also one of the 8 states in the nation that do not require schools to implement a bullying prevention program. Read more
Arizona law (A.R.S. 15-506) requires that schools display a legible copy of the Constitution in classrooms grades 7-12. Those who support the law say that displaying the Constitution promotes civic education and patriotism and is useful for reference. Critics argue that the Constitution is already widely available in print and online and decisions such as these should be left up to individual teachers and schools.
Some states are concerned about student behavior and school violence at school. To address those issues, some states are in favor of suspending students as young as kindergarten. Read more. In Arizona, students in kindergarten through 4th grade may be suspended or expelled if they meet certain criteria. Read more
In Arizona, students between the ages of six and sixteen are required by law to attend school. Students are considered truants when they miss school without a valid excuse. According to Axios Phoenix their data has shown that student absences have increased from 14% in 2019 to 22% in 2021. Read more!
Arizona Native language and culture teachers believe a student is more engaged at school when connections to a student’s culture, language, and community are included in the curriculum. Students are able to embrace diversity which creates a positive learning environment. Some schools include cultural studies during specific times of the year but not everyday.
Arizona law states students must obey the rules and submit to the authority of the teachers, the administrators, and the governing board. Students may receive appropriate discipline such as suspension or expulsion if unable to do so. See Arizona Revised statute 15-481.
In April 2021, Governor Doug Ducey approved House Bill 2705 that prohibits school district governing boards, charter school governing bodies, and public schools from creating a dress code policy that prohibits students from wearing tribal regalia at their graduation ceremony. Read more here! Also read HB2705.
Arizona Law requires students between 6 and 16 to attend school. 5 unexcused absences during the school year is considered “Habitually Truant”. If a student is absent 10% of the required school days, it is considered “Excessive Absence”. Parents can be charged with a Class 3 Misdemeanor with a possible max. 30 days jail sentence or max. $300 fine. See Arizona Revised statute 15-803.
In Arizona, kindergarten is not required for children under the age of six. It is optional for parents to enroll their children in kindergarten classes. Read more here!
Some schools will offer online learning and some will offer in-person learning. Arizonans have protested both options. On one side, the public wants to have the choice to send their students to school and feel that the risks of students staying home are worse than the risks associated with students getting exposed to COVID-19 at school. Read more here. On the other side, the public wants to take extra precautions when it comes to their students’ health and feel that all benchmarks must be met in order for students to return to school. Read more here.
In April 2019, the Arizona Governor signed the Financial Literacy Bill, S.B. 1184, into law creating a new requirement for high school students to pass a financial literacy class in order to graduate. The law requires at least one-half of a course credit in economics and that class must include financial literacy and personal financial management. Read more here!
House Bill 2119 passed in May 2019, requiring schools to create policies and procedures for reporting crimes and threatening conduct. Specifically, the schools are required to alert parents of students involved in this behavior. Read more here!
In January 2018 several students from an Arizona Junior High School posted a video to SnapChat that showed them chanting racist comments. The school chose not to discipline the students at school since the incident did not occur on school campus. Many of the school community members are angry about the school’s decision. Read more here!
A high school student in Alabama invited his grandmother to his school prom as his date. The school will not allow the student to bring his grandmother to the dance due to maximum age restrictions. The school has stated that the restrictions are in place to protect the students at the dance. Read more here!
On April 5, 2018, Governor Ducey signed a bill that requires schools to provide at least 2 recess periods for students in grades kindergarten through 5th. Additionally, schools could not remove recess as a consequence for behavior unless the student's parent pre-approved the consequence. Read more here! Also read SB1083.
Starting in the Fall semester of 2018, Arizona elementary schools will be required to teach cursive handwriting through the 5th grade. Read more here!