Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill Sunday that would ban this

what is known as

“willful defiance” suspensions for high school students who

demonstrate

bad behavior, including breaking the dress code, talking back to a teacher, or using their phone in class.

The legislation that Newsom signed into law, SB 274, also bans the suspension and expulsion of students for tardiness or truancy. Educators can still suspend students for more serious actions, such as physical violence, possession or use of drugs, theft or bullying.

California already permanently bans these suspensions for students in kindergarten through fifth grade, and the new law extends the policy to middle and high schools.

Supporters of the bill say black and Latino students are disproportionately affected

affected

by these suspensions. Research

showsreveals

that theses

marginalized

It is often students who suffer less learning loss and experience a higher percentage of early school leavers.

Instead of expelling them, we owe it to students to find out what’s causing their behavior and help them fix it, said Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), author of the bill , in July. The punishment for missing school should not be missing more school. Students, especially those with behavioral problems, need to be in school where teachers and counselors can help them succeed.

There was little opposition to SB 274; only a few Republican lawmakers voted against the bill in August.

Former Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed similar legislation in 2012, noting that teachers and school officials should have the freedom to set the tone in their classrooms.

“I cannot support limiting the authority of local school leaders, especially at a time when budget cuts have significantly increased class sizes and reduced the number of school staff,” Brown said in 2012.

According to data from the California Department of Education, over the past decade, the total number of suspensions for all infractions for students has fallen by 58%. The number of intentional suspensions fell by 94% over the same period.