O.K., I was hoping I was done here, but here we go...
BTW, is your wife a CURRENT Special Education Teacher, or just one of those teachers who got endorsed in special ed for marketing purposes? From the perspective of an average teacher, the laws protecting kids with behavioral disabilities can appear simplistic and straight forward. They are not.
Regardless, I'm sure your wife is a lovely woman and cares very much about the children she works with, however, I have vast experience working with special education teachers who consult with me on a regular basis because it is difficult for teachers to keep up with the ever- changing interpretation of special education case law. They are supposed to be teachers after all, not attorneys.
If you had ever been on the school side of a due process hearing concerning the removal of a student with a behavioral disability from the general education environment, you would realize how tricky these issues can be, and why administrators are so cautious in removing children from classrooms and schools.
Public schools are mandated to provide an appropriate education for students in the 'least restrictive environment' unless they can provide data (evidence-based support) that indicates that the child cannot progress educationally in that environment. In most states, with the exception of behaviors associated with weapons or drugs, many steps are required by the school district to get to the point of removal from the classroom, much less the school. A pattern of behavior needs to be documented, testing if indicated or requested, documentation that interventions to target the students behavioral needs must be collected, and we're assuming that the school district has a better place for that child to go if he or she is removed. Schools can be held financially liable in court if this process is not adhered to when a child is removed.
Where exactly is it that you think these kids go when they are removed? These students are the responsibility of the school district no matter where they are placed, until they move out of the boundaries of the school district. That means BD classroom, alternative school, juvenile detention center (teachers have to go there), or inpatient mental health facilities if needed. School districts are responsible for the costs of educating kids in any of these placement options, and if that is what the child needs, the district finds the money. Lack of available funding is not an adequate defense in court on these issues.
I am primarily referring to kids with IDEA protections here, but again, remember that when it comes to behavioral disabilities, it takes very little to qualify a student under this disability classification if there is any kind of pattern of problem behaviors, and a diagnosis of any mental health issue (easy enough to get from local doctor) is practically a shoe-in for special ed support.
And BTW, not all school districts are large enough to have behavior disorder classrooms in every school, or even in the district. Sometimes there is not an easy alternate setting choice for a student.
Based on more recent special education case law, it behooves a school district to use caution when expelling any student, not just students with IDEA protections. As I mentioned earlier, even a history of mental health issues can be used by a parent in the court system to argue against suspension or expulsion.
I hope this helps. As I said before, schools deal with a lot of challenges both in and out of the classrooms. I have a lot of respect for the teachers who come in every day and try to make it all work for kids. If your wife is not currently working in the field of special education I can understand her comments. If she is, good for her, these teachers are saints, but she may want to brush up on some recent case law.
And now back to running...