The Iowa Senate Education Committee continues work on a bill that deals with violence in the classroom.

District 24 Senator Jerry Behn of Boone says the bill addresses some concerns when it comes to a “classroom clear.” He describes a “classroom clear” situation as one when all students leave the classroom except for the student who is experiencing a behavioral issue, which he adds is disruptive to the learning environment and can cause damage in the classroom or to others. Behn wants to change the disruptive and sometimes violent nature of the classroom setting.

“One of the teachers was told that ‘Hey disruptive students is just part of the job.’ I disagree with that. That should not be just ‘part of the job.’ Students should behave and if they’re not behaving there needs to be a mechanism to remove those students so the rest of the class can learn like they’re supposed to. I think this is a critical step in the right direction.”

Behn says Senate Study Bill 3080 prohibits a classroom clear from being a part of a student’s individual education plan (IEP). Another issue the bill addresses is establishing protocols so that if a classroom clear is used, the parents of the student that triggered it would be notified within 24 hours and they would have to meet with administration before the student is allowed to return to the classroom. Finally, Behn adds a new policy would also be created to provide teachers with training and legal protection for using reasonable physical contact in crisis situations.