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Statewide: Rethinking school discipline during a mental health crisis

NPR Illinois | 91.9 UIS | By Sean Crawford

Published March 17, 2022 at 4:58 PM CDT

For some teachers, the return to the classroom has been rocky. More have talked about "extreme" student behavior. Experts are saying there is a mental health crisis among young people and many are acting out. All of this comes as districts consider changes to discipline policies. We have a report.

Also, why are some nursing home resident leaving their jobs only to return to the exact same work?

Listen to this week's Statewide.

Our lineup:

* Justin Hicks with Side Effects Public Media reports on the financial benefit some nursing home workers are discovering in a pandemic world. They are often able to demand and receive more money. But what impact is it having on the long term care system?

* Alex Degman profiles Dr. Ngozi Ezike, who left her post as Illinois Department of Public Health Director this week.

* Peter Medlin of WNIJ reports on student behavior and discipline and one school district's effort to improve both issues.

* We hear from Monica Butler about her goal to create a Gospel Music Hall of Fame in St. Louis.

* Eric Schmid reports on a new augmented reality app that will help visitors to Cahokia Mounds see the site as never before.

* Harvest Public Media's Jonathon Ahl says the economic fallout of the war in Ukraine is impacting farmers here in the Midwest.

* Michael Puente brings us the story of one group trying to boost the number of Black Chicago firefighters.

* Rich Egger has details on higher costs coming for Western Illinois University students.

* Tim Shelley explains how Galesburg is moving toward having behavioral health co-responders being dispatched on emergency calls with police.