Student learning and school safety should go hand-in-hand.

That’s why educators across Michigan are deeply concerned about the rise in disruptive student behavior, which includes verbal outbursts, threats, and physical aggression. Addressing this troubling nationwide trend is critical for the future of education.

MEA is prioritizing this work and providing ways for members to engage in the conversation about solutions.

Increasing mental health challenges, constant access to smartphones, overexposure to social media, lingering effects of the pandemic, and a broader culture that promotes incivility have all contributed to a significant increase in student behavior problems.

Working together with policymakers, administration, families and students, we can develop and implement concrete solutions. That is the focus of a new MEA taskforce created by the Representative Assembly to address student behavior and school safety.

Are you interested in doing more to address student behavior issues? Here are some steps you can take at mea.org/behavior:

• Share your experiences with how challenging behavior affects your students’ learning conditions and your working conditions.
• Propose ideas for best practices, programs, policies or legislation that can make a positive impact on student behavior and school safety.
• Volunteer to serve on the MEA student behavior/school safety task force and other important work in this area.