I work at Waipahu Intermediate School in the English Language Learner (ELL) Department. I work with Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in my classroom every day. The 2018-2019 school year was a challenge. However, my students and I ended on a very positive note.

I would like to continue to work in a safe, drug-free learning environment for many more years to come.

My administrators have been working toward keeping our school safe on a yearly basis.

The voice of my principal, Randell Dunn, echoes in my brain, in which he always says that he will suspend students to keep our school safe. Whenever he repeats this statement during the school year, I feel comfortable and safe as a teacher working in the classroom and on campus.

Last October, one of my students in my homeroom brought a fake gun to school on a couple of occasions, because of bullying. This student was given a long-term suspension. I was responsible for providing work for this student and other students involved in the incident during their absence from school.

While I may not know what students are bringing to school in their backpacks or doing during non-classroom time, I definitely know that my students’ safety and mine are the No. 1 priority at the school. So, in reading the article, “Class days denied” by Susan Essoyan (Star-Advertiser, June 14), I agree that students need to learn their mistakes even if it is through suspension. Know that these students are not missing out on work, because as their teacher, I need to provide them with work.

Furthermore, this past school year, our school started In School Suspension (ISS) for students who were suspended for a low-grade offense, but stayed in school for counseling and consequences. I thought it was helpful, because students stayed in school.

I can recall being given a one-day suspension, when I was in third or fourth grade, because of an altercation with another student.

I remember that I got physically hurt and that’s why I needed to stay home. I don’t recall having been given any work to do at home during my suspension.

As an adult, I can think of that suspension as a cooling off period — a time in which to reflect on what I did and its consequences. And to understand that I was a kid who got myself into trouble. I don’t think I ever got suspended again; nevertheless, that experience has stuck with me until now.​

As a teacher, I see that students have different perspectives about suspensions. Some feel as if it’s a severe punishment. Some feel they deserve it due to their actions. Some think that it’s just a day off from school to do other things, in contrast to learning.

But the conclusion I have from reflecting on suspensions is that students do understand that they did something wrong — whether it’s admitted or not — so they are given this consequence. Thus, suspensions are needed to help students to cool off or reflect. Other teachers may or may not agree.

One last note: Dr. Charlotte Frambaugh-Kritzer and her teacher cadets from the University of Hawaii-Manoa, College of Education worked with one of my classes of ELLs during the second semester of the past school year. This was a great experience, because they made a positive impact on some of my behavioral-challenging ELL students. I look forward to working with Charlotte again.

Joyce Verduzco is a teacher at Waipahu Intermediate School in the English Language Learner Department.