Student expulsions, an enigma for the Ministry of Education

PalmIn the Balearic Islands, schools manage student sanctions and expulsions autonomously through their School Climate Committee. Therefore, according to the Ministry of Education, they are not obligated to share this data with the central government, and consequently, there is no comprehensive registry to track the number of students expelled or the reasons for their expulsion. This decentralization can limit the ability to assess the impact of disciplinary measures and analyze their effectiveness on school climate. One of the most pressing issues is the rise in bullying cases in recent years. During the 2016-2017 school year, 420 protocols were activated for potential bullying cases, while in the last school year, this number rose to 887. Of these, approximately 20% were confirmed as actual cases of bullying.

The relevant legislation is Decree 121/2010, of December 10, which regulates the rights and responsibilities of students and the rules of conduct in non-university educational centers. The decree distinguishes between behaviors that violate the rules of conduct and seriously harmful behaviors, such as physical assaults, threats, bullying (including sexist bullying), and damage to classmates and school facilities. Despite the seriousness of certain behaviors, it establishes that expulsion—temporary or permanent—is a last resort, applicable only when all measures of mediation, reparation, and support have been exhausted.

Before resorting to expulsion, the decree outlines several alternative measures to correct the behavior and keep the student within the educational process. These include: completing tasks related to the violated code of conduct, specific academic activities, repairing damage to property or belongings of other members of the school community for six to twenty-two school days, and temporary suspension of the right to participate in extracurricular or supplementary activities with supervision by the school (between sixteen days and three months) for four to twenty-two days, among others. These measures allow the student to continue their education and rectify the situation before the most severe sanction is applied.

Every school is a world

The disciplinary procedure must guarantee that the student and their family are informed, that they are given an opportunity to defend themselves, and that the circumstances of the case are considered. It also prioritizes mediation and agreement between the parties as an educational strategy for resolving conflicts. Thus, the system combines accountability, restorative justice, and learning before resorting to expulsion. Despite these clear regulations, the lack of centralized data can limit the authorities' capacity for analysis. This situation highlights key challenges for educational policy: ensuring that alternative measures are developed rigorously, that mediation and restorative justice are applied before resorting to expulsion, and that consistency and equity are guaranteed among schools and students. It also underscores the need to consider the socio-educational context: student diversity, special educational needs, and coexistence problems are not the same in all schools, requiring preventive tools and strategies adapted to each situation.

Furthermore, these preventative measures play an essential role in preventing expulsion from becoming a trajectory of educational exclusion. The regulations clearly state that the sanction must be educational and restorative, and that the main objective is for the student to reintegrate, learn from their mistakes, and contribute to a positive school environment. When students complete restorative or academic tasks and participate in mediation, the aim is for them to actively learn about their responsibility and how to coexist.

A last resort that is being avoided

The management of expulsions demonstrates that the system combines school autonomy with procedural safeguards and progressive measures, aiming to preserve both the safety and respect of the school and the continuity of students' education. Expulsion is only used when all alternative measures have failed or when the severity of the conduct warrants it.

The regulations provide a theoretical framework for defining serious misconduct, how it should be managed, and what measures can be applied before resorting to expulsion. Despite the lack of centralized data, the system emphasizes mediation, restorative justice, and educational follow-up as strategies to ensure that sanctions have a formative effect. Expulsion, as a last resort, is reserved for extreme situations, ensuring that no student is excluded from the educational process without the opportunity for reintegration or remediation. This approach seeks to balance discipline, safety, and the right to education in a context where a positive school environment (often threatened) is crucial for student development and the proper functioning of educational spaces.