WBAA

Bella’s school first suspended her in Kindergarten. Five-year-old Bella had hit a teacher’s aide and run out of the classroom. A month later, the school suspended her after she tipped over a desk and fled the school. Eight days later, she was suspended again for defiance. By December of last year, Bella had been suspended at least 15 times. “She started questioning herself, ‘Mom, why am I so bad? Mom, I’m sorry. Why did God make me like this?’” Kristin said. Bella has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, a diagnosis characterized by impulsiveness and difficulty focusing, sitting still, and staying organized. After the pandemic, out-of-school suspensions in Indiana increased to the highest level in a decade. Yet state education officials have not prioritized addressing the statewide increase in suspensions.