Dr Samara Hand | Better alternatives to school expulsion

School suspensions are rising — but who is being excluded, and why? In this video, Dr Samara Hand, a Waramayi and Verapai woman and lecturer at UNSW Law & Justice, explores the growing use of school suspension and its disproportionate impact on Indigenous students and students with disabilities. Drawing on education law and policy research, Dr Hand explains how school exclusion is driven by systemic factors such as poverty, trauma, and under‑resourced schools — not simply individual behaviour. She also highlights why suspension and expulsion are ineffective, costly, and harmful, and why education must be treated as a right, not a reward. The video looks at evidence‑based alternatives, including trauma‑informed, culturally responsive, and restorative approaches, that help keep young people engaged in education and supported to succeed. _________________________ We're the official channel for the wonderful community members of UNSW Sydney, a brilliantly located university between the coast and the city. UNSW Sydney is one of Australia's leading research and teaching universities. We're a welcoming community, promoting lasting knowledge and fostering an academic environment where outstanding students and scholars from around the world are inspired to excel in their programs of study and research.