Modesto Teachers Demand Policy Change After Violence

Teachers in Modesto City Schools told the district board that classroom behavior has become increasingly violent and disruptive, reporting incidents including students urinating on others, punching, kicking, biting, being stabbed with pencils, flipping desks, and destroying classrooms, and they brought photos of the damage. Several educators, including paraprofessionals, described unaddressed cases such as students leaving class for hours and returning without meaningful discipline, saying students and staff no longer feel safe. The Modesto Teachers Association blamed post‑pandemic social‑emotional delays, increased social‑media overstimulation, and what they say is the misapplication of policies like PBIS that prioritize keeping students in class over consistent consequences. District leaders acknowledged constraints from state and federal discipline rules and pandemic-era adjustments and said they will review the student conduct code, expand training for staff and parents, hold a behavior symposium, and work with teachers. Teachers are urging the district to restore clearer rules and consistent enforcement so teaching and learning can resume effectively.