be fair and consistent. Nothing can take away your credibility faster than being inconsistent in how you handle similar situations. While no two cases are exactly the same, you have to think about how you have handled other similar situations and continue on that same track. Students in particular know how you handle student discipline, and they make comparisons from one case to the next. If you are not being fair and consistent, they will call you out on it. However, it is understandable that history will influence a principal's decision. For example, if you have a student who has been in multiple fights and compare them to a student who has only had one fight, then you are justified in giving the student with multiple fights a longer suspension. Think all your decisions through, document your reasoning, and be prepared when someone questions or disagrees with it.