Principal Ava Coleman of Abbott Elementary, played by Janelle James, announces that the school district is reinstating a punitive policy in response to the incident of youth tobacco use on campus. She tells teachers that the policy means she must suspend Curtis.
“This seems like overkill to do all this without even having an honest conversation with Curtis or any of our students,” Janine says. The teachers decide to reconsider the situation and have a genuine chat with Curtis.
Although vaping in schools may be frustrating for educators, it is important that teachers respond to violations with a supportive approach. Nicotine is addictive and can impact the developing brain, and it’s backed by a well-funded industry that pushes its products into young people’s hands.
Truth Initiative does not support suspension or expulsions from school as a punishment for tobacco use, including vaping, on school grounds. Suspension can cause even more problems at school, leading to lower test scores and graduation rates, among other poor outcomes. There’s also reason for concern due to well-documented disparities in suspension and expulsions among Black, Latino, and other minority students, who are far more likely to receive such punitive actions.