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Anger Management, A Powerful Alternative To School Suspension

School Districts throughout the Nation are losing millions of dollars in ADA

(average daily attendance) funding as the result of suspending students for

fighting and other acts of person directed aggression in school.

The suspension of any student is problematic for students from all groups.

Suspension and expulsion as interventions are inadequate to change

behavior unless they are paired with teaching replacement behaviors.

However, African American/Black, American Indian and Hispanic students

are suspended and expelled at rates that are disproportionate to their White

peers.

Suspending a student from school does not address the problem behavior

and instead prevents the student from obtaining services they need, such ascounseling or social skill support. Recidivism rates are typically high,

ranging from 35-45 percent (Skiba & Knesting, 2001). Suspension fails to

decrease the problem behavior and, instead, often predicts an increase in it.

While fighting in grade school is not new it is increasing at a rate not

previously experienced. Many school Districts have responded by increasing

on-campus security, weapons screenings, strict dress requirements and zero

tolerance for violence polices. None of these policies have been effective in

reducing the incidence of school violence especially in Middle and HighSchools throughout the nation especially in urban areas.

A far more effective and less expensive strategy which is being implemented

in some school districts in California, Texas, New York, Arkansas and

Missouri is evidenced based anger managementcoaching or classes provided by Certified AngerManagement Facilitators using Pre and PostEmotional Intelligence Tests along with AdolescentAnger Management Workbooks, CDs, DVDs, Posters and

other ancillary training material designed to teach skills in a wide range ofinterpersonal relationship areas.

Legitimate evidenced based anger management intervention includes

empathy, stress management, communication and anger management. In

addition it includes the important emotional intelligence skills of self-

awareness, self-control, social awareness and relationship management.

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Further all of these skills are culturally neutral making them equally relevant

and teachable to adolescents of any racial or ethnic group. The training

material is available in English, Spanish, Canadian French and Chinese.

Classes or Coaching for anger management can be provided in small groups

or individually for students unable to profit from group intervention. Since

anger is not an illness, anger management is neithercounseling nor psychotherapy but rather specifictraining in enhancing skills in emotional intelligence.Hence, Emotional Intelligence/Anger Management does not include the

stigma too often associated with counseling or psychotherapy.

In contrast to IQ which is related to the capacity to master precision learning

or succeed academically, Emotional Intelligence skills can be mastered by

anyone who is motivated to change and is provided with the structuredtraining needed to acquire new skills in anger management, stress

management, communication, empathy, self-awareness, self-control, social

awareness and relationship management.

Finally, anger management for students attending public schools is not acost to the district, the school or the community. Rather,instituting anger management in Middle and High School protects the school

district from the loss of it ADA for each student who may otherwise be

suspended or expulsed for fighting or other aggressive behavior at school.

Emotional Intelligence based Anger Management that is evidenced based

should be considered for any student who is being considered for suspension

or expulsion for aggressive behavior. School suspension does not offer

options for increasing a student's learning.

George Anderson, MSW, BCD, CAMF, CEAP

Diplomate in Anger Management

Fellow, American Orthopsychiatric Association

CEO, Anderson & Anderson, APC