Detention is still everywhere – strict teachers, silent rooms, and ticking clocks. It lingers as a go-to punishment in schools, more out of habit than proven positive impact. In a time demanding smarter approaches to discipline, it feels more like a holdover than a solution. Detention no longer addresses the root cause of misbehavior, but instead is to simply punish. It is still used in many schools worldwide, despite studies showing that it no longer has a beneficial impact on students’ behavior.
Detention is a way of showing the teacher’s dissatisfaction with the problem, it does not teach the student to misbehave again. An article from The Plaid Press points out that detention often fails to improve student behavior because it encourages fear of punishment rather than changing or understanding the underlying actions. As a result, the real issues behind the behavior often remain unaddressed.
When punished rather than fixed, detention can ruin trust between students and teachers. According to NEA News, schools that focus on building positive relationships between educators and students tend to see lower suspension rates, showing that supportive environments can reduce the need for punitive environments such as detention. Kids often thrive through positive connections and having someone to trust at school can lead to better behavior and an overall better view of school.
A kid acting out in class can often be a cry for help, but instead of helping, many schools turn to punishment. This can lead to lower self esteem among these students and reinstating mental health issues or triggering new ones, such as depression. Research published in the National Library of Medicine highlights that students who experience suspension or expulsion are more likely to show signs of depression during adolescence compared to their peers who haven’t experienced such disciplinary actions. This suggests that exclusionary practices can have serious long term impacts on students’ mental health. Students are going through the most emotional part of their life, and adults do not treat it with as much care as they should. Instead of helping, many would rather punish, which is not beneficial to the initial problem.
Detention can have its upsides too, as it can give kids a more controlled environment to learn and do work. A study published in ScienceDirect reviewed 20 observed studies on learner-controlled instruction in classroom settings. The findings suggest that structured environments, where students have some control over their learning, can lead to small positive effects on motivation and learning outcomes, particularly in secondary education. Although detention does provide this structure, there are many other options with the same benefit.
Many students who get detention often might describe themselves as “failures” or being stuck with the title “trouble maker.” It can make students assume this role, and lower their aspirations. Research from the American Psychological Association suggests that when students are consistently disciplined, they often internalize those negative labels, leading to a cycle of disengagement and misbehavior. Over time, detention can undermine a student’s sense of hope for positive change, and trap them inside this negative role.
The benefits of detention can also be seen in many different alternatives, like Restorative Conversations: One-on-one meetings with a teacher or counselor to discuss the incident and create a behavior plan. Another alternative is Restorative Circles; Guided group discussions to address behavior and relationships. Detention does not address the overall problem, which is most important with a behavioral change within a student.
Detention is outdated and has strayed from its original purpose. It was originally created for correcting behavior, and is now just a punishment. Detention can ruin relationships between students and the teachers they learn from, also causing loss of respect for the teacher or the student. We should make a process where the students learn from mistakes and grow as a person, which is what school is mainly about. The choices we make today could be the result for a better tomorrow.
