At five years old, school is where children learn how to read their first sentences, make friends, and understand how the world works. It should not be the place where they are sent home for mistakes they are still learning how to control. Yet Nebraska lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow schools to suspend students from kindergarten through second grade again.
Current Nebraska law largely prohibits suspending students in those grades unless they bring a deadly weapon to school. A proposal backed by the governor would restore suspension as a disciplinary option because some teachers say their hands are tied when behavior becomes disruptive. Another proposal would also allow suspensions if young students engage in violent behavior capable of causing physical harm.
While classroom safety matters, bringing back suspensions for very young children ignores a bigger issue: many students at that age are still developing emotionally and behaviorally. Some children who act out may have undiagnosed learning disabilities, behavioral disorders, or mental health needs. Removing them from school does not solve the problem — it delays the support they may need.
Too often, suspension becomes a quick solution to a deeper problem. When a young child struggles with behavior, it is usually a sign they need attention, structure, or professional support. Sending them home may remove the disruption for a day, but it does nothing to teach the skills they need to improve.
According to the Center for American Progress, children ages three to five with disabilities or emotional challenges make up about twelve percent of early childhood programs but account for nearly seventy five percent of suspensions and expulsions, showing that students with underlying needs are disciplined far more often than their peers.
Kindergarten through second grade are some of the most important academic years. Students build reading skills, social habits, and learning routines that shape the rest of their education. When children miss school, they miss foundational lessons that are difficult to catch up on later.
There is also the question of what happens when a child is suspended. Many families cannot stay home from work, meaning some children are left without supervision or fall further behind academically. Instead of correcting behavior, repeated removals from school can create frustration, embarrassment, and a growing dislike for learning.
According to research published in Youth Today, families of suspended students report not only lost wages and job challenges but also increased family conflict and stress when they have to pick up their child and adjust schedules for disciplinary meetings and reintegration.
We also have to remember something simple: children will be children. Expecting perfect behavior from a six-year-old is unrealistic. Schools should focus on guidance, intervention, and support rather than punishment for behavior that often reflects immaturity more than intent.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, guidance-based discipline and early behavioral support are more effective than suspension for young children because they help teach self-control and coping skills rather than simply removing the child from the learning environment.
Schools should be places where mistakes turn into lessons, not punishments that push students away from education.
When schools rely on suspension, they miss the chance to actually teach students how to manage behavior, emotions, and expectations in a classroom setting.
Early intervention programs, stronger communication with families, and access to school psychologists can make a lasting difference by identifying issues early and giving children the tools they need to succeed. When schools respond with support rather than exclusion, they help children grow instead of labeling them as problems at such a young age.
However, there should be a clear line. If a student is seriously hurting others — not just disrupting class but causing real physical harm — schools must be able to protect students and teachers. Safety should always come first.
But those extreme cases should remain the exception, not the reason to discipline every young child more harshly. Policies should be built for the majority of students, not the rare worst-case scenario. Suspending early elementary students risks sending the message that struggling learners are problems instead of children who need help.
Instead of expanding suspensions, lawmakers should invest in counselors, behavioral specialists, and early intervention programs. Supporting children early prevents bigger problems later, both academically and socially. Young students do not need fewer opportunities to be in school — they need more support while they learn how to succeed there.