www.thecentersquare.com – By Tate Miller | The Center Square contributor – (The Center Square – ) 2025-04-22 14:29:00
(The Center Square) – President Trump will be giving the commencement address at the University of Alabama for the first time and West Point for the second, with more details to come.
The president posted on his Truth Social account: “I have agreed to do the Commencement Address at two really GREAT places, the University of Alabama and, WEST POINT. Stay tuned for times and dates!!!”
Trump gave the commencement address at West Point once before in 2020 – also as sitting president.
Other sitting presidents who have been speakers at West Point’s commencement include Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and Barack Obama, among many others, according to West Point’s archives.
When reached for comment, West Point referred The Center Square to the White House Press Office for information regarding Trump’s address.
A University of Alabama (UA) statement obtained by The Center Square reads that “the University of Alabama is honored to have been selected as one of the universities President Donald J. Trump will visit to deliver a spring commencement address.”
“This ticketed event will be held the evening of Thursday, May 1, at Coleman Coliseum and will be open to all spring 2025 graduates,” the statement says.
“All spring graduates will have the opportunity to attend this distinct event in addition to their college-specific ceremonies where degrees will be conferred from May 2–May 4, as scheduled,” according to the statement.
When reached for comment, UA associate director of communications and media relations Alex House provided The Center Square with the school’s statement, which is very similar to a published statement from the school.
In response to the announcement of Trump’s UA commencement address, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey posted on her X account: “It truly will be a historic occasion for these UA graduates and their families.”
“What an incredible opportunity to hear from the President of the United States!” Ivey wrote. “Thank you, @POTUS, for making this happen for our students.”
Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Katie Britt released a statement saying she is “thrilled President Trump will deliver the keynote address at the University of Alabama’s commencement ceremonies this year.”
“It is a tremendous honor for the university and for this year’s graduating class to welcome a sitting President to campus – a first in the nearly 200-year history of the University of Alabama,” Britt wrote.
“As an alumna, I am especially proud to see my alma mater chosen for such a historic occasion,” Britt wrote.
The University of Alabama’s statement additionally explained that “campus logistics and security measures are being carefully coordinated, and ticketing information for graduates and other event details will be communicated in the coming days.”
“We look forward to celebrating our graduates throughout commencement weekend as we confer degrees to thousands of hardworking students who will go on to make a positive impact in the workforce and in communities across Alabama, our nation and the world,” the statement said.
SUMMARY: On News 5 Now, Walmart announced price increases later this month due to tariffs impacting costs. The Alabama legislature passed a bill increasing legal protections for police officers, needing Governor Ivy’s approval. Three South Alabama counties—Washington, Chakaw, and Monroe—received grants for rural bridge replacements aiding timber transport. Authorities arrested three suspects linked to an Atmore shooting; meanwhile, Katrina Ancom, mother of a Sage Park shooting suspect, was charged with contributing to juvenile delinquency. During National Police Week, viewers shared memories of law enforcement impacting their lives. A poll on the Menendez brothers’ re-sentencing is open for public opinion until 5:30 p.m.
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A push for stricter school discipline policies is gaining traction in several states, spurred by President Trump’s executive order to reinstate more traditional approaches. Texas and West Virginia are among states proposing bills that would allow for suspensions of younger students and expand teacher authority over misbehavior. Critics, including civil rights groups, argue these measures disproportionately impact students of color and those with disabilities. Meanwhile, some states are exploring restorative justice models, aiming to repair harm instead of imposing punitive measures. Advocates for restorative practices emphasize community healing, while others warn that weakened discipline undermines academic standards.
In the wake of President Donald Trump’s executive order aiming to reinstate “common sense” school discipline, more states may follow and expand the authority of teachers and school officials to deal with disruptive students.
The order, signed in April, repeals prior federal guidance that encouraged schools to address racial disparities in discipline, arguing that such policies promoted “discriminatory equity ideology” and compromised school safety by pressuring administrators to underreport serious student misconduct.
In some states, new legislation already is trending toward giving teachers more authority to address student misbehavior.
In West Virginia, for example, a new law creates a structured process for responding to violent, threatening or disruptive behavior among students in grades K-6.
Under the law, a student exhibiting such behavior can be immediately removed from class, evaluated by counselors or behavioral specialists and placed on an individualized behavior plan. If there’s no improvement after two rounds of intervention, the student could be moved into a behavioral intervention program or an alternative learning environment.
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey, a Republican, and supporters say the law empowers teachers to maintain safe classrooms.
“This legislation provides teachers with the tools to regain control of the classroom and ensure safe learning environments for our kids,” Morrisey said at the bill’s signing.
In April, the Texas House of Representatives passed a bill referred to as the “Teacher’s Bill of Rights” with a bipartisan vote of 124-20.
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That bill, now sitting in the Senate’s education committee, would significantly expand the grounds for out-of-school suspensions, allowing students to be suspended for repeated disruptions or threats beginning in third grade. It would reverse earlier changes that limited suspensions for younger students. It also would mandate that students making terroristic threats or assaulting school employees be placed in alternative education programs for at least 30 days.
Texas civil rights groups argue that the bill would impose a one-size-fits-all punitive approach, rather than addressing students’ developmental and behavioral needs.
Alycia Castillo, associate director of policy at the Texas Civil Rights Project and a former teacher, said state lawmakers are taking the wrong approach by mandating sweeping discipline policies for a state as diverse as Texas.
Children are naturally disruptive — that’s part of their development.
– Alycia Castillo, associate director of policy at the Texas Civil Rights Project
During the 2020-21 school year, according to the latest data available from the U.S. Department of Education, Black students faced the highest rates of disciplinary action across all categories — suspension and expulsion — among all racial and ethnic groups.
They were 39% more likely than white students to receive in-school suspensions, 70% more likely to face out-of-school suspensions, and 71% more likely to be expelled.
The disparities were even starker for Black students with disabilities, who experienced suspension and expulsion rates far exceeding those of both their white peers and non-disabled students.
Reviving old, harsh disciplinary policies risks disproportionately harming students of color, students with disabilities and those from low-income backgrounds, Castillo said.
“What works in Austin may not work in West Texas,” Castillo said.
“Children are naturally disruptive — that’s part of their development,” she added. “Excluding them only harms their growth into functional adults.”
Restorative justice models
In recent years, some other states have passed laws promoting restorative practices in schools, in which students and teachers work through problems and focus on repairing the harm caused by disruptions or conflict.
Michigan’s 2017 law requires schools to consider restorative approaches before suspensions or expulsions, aiming to repair harm rather than exclude students. Nevada began mandating restorative justice approaches in 2019, but scaled back that approach in 2023.
This year, Maryland passed a law requiring the state to establish “restorative practices schools,” specific schools with trained educators who use the approach in everyday discipline.
Kimberly Hellerich, an assistant professor at Sacred Heart University and a former K-12 teacher, said discipline policies should go beyond punitive measures to foster accountability and community healing.
“Adding restorative practices to accompany codes of conduct can allow students to recognize the impact of their actions on themselves, peers, the teacher, the class and the school community,” Hellerich said.
In her own classrooms, Hellerich used what she called “community circles” to guide students in processing behavior, offering apologies and rebuilding trust. “The apology served as a way to restore the student’s relationship with the entire class community,” she said.
Calls for a cultural shift on expectations
While lawmakers debate discipline procedures, other education advocates warn that an even deeper issue is unfolding inside classrooms: the gradual erosion of behavioral expectations and academic rigor.
Discipline is the backbone of effective learning.
– Jessica Bartnick, co-founder and CEO of Foundation for C.H.O.I.C.E.
Jessica Bartnick, co-founder and CEO of the Dallas-based mentorship program Foundation for C.H.O.I.C.E., said that declining school discipline and lowered standards are quietly undermining educational outcomes.
“Discipline is the backbone of effective learning,” Bartnick, who supports the Texas legislation, told Stateline in an email. “Without it, classrooms become chaotic, instructional time is lost and teachers are forced to shift their focus from instruction to behavior management.”
Bartnick said efforts to promote equity sometimes inadvertently lower behavioral standards and deprive teachers of the tools they need to maintain safe learning environments.
She also criticized lenient grading policies and unlimited test retakes, arguing that they diminish the value of preparation, responsibility and resilience.
“If students are shielded from the discomfort of failure, they are also shielded from the growth that comes with it,” she wrote. “If we want to prepare students for a world that will not offer endless second chances, we must return to a classroom culture grounded in discipline, responsibility, and rigor.”
Stateline reporter Amanda Hernández contributed to this report. Stateline reporter Robbie Sequeira can be reached at rsequeira@stateline.org.
Stateline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions: info@stateline.org.
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Alabama Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alabama Reflector maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Brian Lyman for questions: info@alabamareflector.com.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Right
This content presents a generally moderate to center-right perspective on school discipline policy. It highlights support for stricter disciplinary measures and the restoration of “common sense” policies championed by a former Republican administration, emphasizing the need for classroom control and safety. While it includes viewpoints from critics concerned about equity and the impact on marginalized students, the overall tone and framing lean toward validating the rationale for tougher discipline and teacher authority, reflecting a center-right stance on education and discipline issues.
SUMMARY: Emily Gilreath, a first-grade teacher at Pleasant Grove Elementary, recently went viral for her heartfelt support of a student, Brooklynn. When Brooklynn thought she couldn’t attend the school Sneaker Ball due to her mom’s work, Gilreath offered to take her, buy a dress, pay for the ticket, and bring her home afterward. They got ready together, sharing a memorable moment. Gilreath hopes Brooklynn remembers it forever, as she will. She emphasizes creating core memories and providing a safe environment, inspired by mentors who modeled going the extra mile, a common practice among Pleasant Grove teachers and throughout the district.
‘I think I’m going to remember it forever’: Pleasant Grove teacher goes extra mile for student
