Laura Corey

Class size does matter. Behavior matters even more. It’s not just that it’s impossible to meet the needs of 30 engaged students in one room. The real issue is that almost every class has one or two students who don’t want to be there and can derail learning for everyone else. Teachers can manage big classes. What they can’t do is teach, redirect, protect, and de-escalate all at once when one or two students are constantly disrupting… or worse. We’ve reached a point where a teacher was shot by a 6-year-old, and she had to sue her district just to get paid for the trauma she endured. If that doesn’t show how far this has gone, nothing will. Most students want to learn. Most teachers want to teach. But it only takes one or two to shut a class down or put a teacher in danger. If we want better learning, we can’t ignore this reality. Class size matters and so do the supports, boundaries, and alternatives for students who cannot function safely in a traditional classroom.