Correct. It’s an alternative to a full suspension where the child is sent home for x number of days. Instead, they serve their suspension in school, reporting to a special room and spending the whole day there during their suspension. They get their assignments and other class materials brought to them from their regular classes so they don’t fall behind as much academically as they would had they been sent home. I suppose it’s better than a full suspension, but I doubt there’s any evidence that it’s actually effective as a punishment. Maybe there is, though. It’s certainly better than corporal punishment, which we know is ineffective and actually does harm, even where it doesn’t leave bruises.
It should also be noted that while it’s good that many states ban corporal punishment by schools, corporal punishment by parents is still legal in all 50 states. This in spite of the fact that there is near 100% consensus among doctors, psychologists, and child rearing experts that there is no benefit and clear harm to the practice.
