What Would You Do? Michael

Michael is a student in your fifth-grade class. His father passed away in an automobile accident last year. Before his father's death Michael always did well in school and never had behavior difficulties, but since the accident his grades have been poor. He has been receiving academic interventions developed by the school district through a response-to-intervention model, but his behavior difficulties have been increasing. He has been prone to verbal outbursts, threatening other students, and hitting the top of his desk with his fists.

You expressed your concerns about Michael to your principal and your school's at-risk team. The at-risk team met to discuss Michael's case and recommended some behavior strategies for him. The team also recommended that Michael meet with the school counselor once a week to discuss his behaviors. Yesterday, Michael once again threatened another student, and then he punched a hole in a wall. The principal immediately suspended Michael and began the paperwork to have him suspended for the remainder of the semester.

Do you agree that this was the appropriate course of action to address Michael's behavior? Did Michael's case raise any legal issues that needed to be considered? What would you have done if you were Michael's teacher?