SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
A federal study shows that black students, males, and students with disabilities are disproportionately disciplined in American schools, across the class spectrum. (Photo: U.S. Army Garrison Red Cloud/Flickr/cc)
Discipline Disparities for Black and Disabled Students 'Transcend Poverty' in US Schools, Study Shows
New analysis "dispels claims that racially disproportionate rates of discipline are based solely on income."
Apr 05, 2018
A new federal report confirms that disparities in how children are disciplined in American persist across the nation--regardless of whether their schools are in low- or high-income areas.
Black students, boys, and students with disabilities were all found to be punished with suspension, expulsion, and referrals to the police more frequently than their counterparts, according to the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office's (GAO) first investigation into the issue, which has been reported by other groups in the past. The study used data regarding 95,000 schools compiled in the federal Civil Rights Data Collection.
The disparities were seen at a multitude of schools "regardless of the type of disciplinary action, regardless of the level of school poverty, and regardless of the type of public school attended," Jacqueline Nowicki, the lead researcher in the study, told NPR.
"The idea that discipline disparities transcend poverty is something that is pretty important and has not been understood in that way before." --Jacqueline Nowicki, GAO
Racial discrimination appears to be a leading reason for the disproportionate punishment of black students. While about 15.5 percent of American school children are black, they make up 39 percent of students who are suspended from school. The stark disparity corresponds troublingly with that which is found in the prison system, where nearly 38 percent of inmates are black.
The GAO's report appears to debunk the belief that black students are more harshly punished because they are more likely to live in low-income households than white children, therefore facing the stressors of poverty which can in turn cause students to act out.
"The idea that discipline disparities transcend poverty is something that is pretty important and has not been understood in that way before," Nowicki told NPR.
The report "dispels claims that racially disproportionate rates of discipline are based solely on income," Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) said in a statement. "The analysis shows that students of color suffer harsher discipline for lesser offenses than their white peers and that racial bias is a driver of discipline disparities."
The report comes as Education Secretary Betsy DeVos considers whether to rescind 2014 guidance released by President Barack Obama, in which schools were advised to ensure that their students were not discriminated when punishments are handed out--or risk being found in violation of civil rights laws.
"Secretary DeVos and the Department of Education must ensure that the necessary resources and guidelines are in place to address these disturbing racial disparities in our schools, and I hope this report will provide the necessary urgency for quick action on this matter," said Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) in a statement.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
A new federal report confirms that disparities in how children are disciplined in American persist across the nation--regardless of whether their schools are in low- or high-income areas.
Black students, boys, and students with disabilities were all found to be punished with suspension, expulsion, and referrals to the police more frequently than their counterparts, according to the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office's (GAO) first investigation into the issue, which has been reported by other groups in the past. The study used data regarding 95,000 schools compiled in the federal Civil Rights Data Collection.
The disparities were seen at a multitude of schools "regardless of the type of disciplinary action, regardless of the level of school poverty, and regardless of the type of public school attended," Jacqueline Nowicki, the lead researcher in the study, told NPR.
"The idea that discipline disparities transcend poverty is something that is pretty important and has not been understood in that way before." --Jacqueline Nowicki, GAO
Racial discrimination appears to be a leading reason for the disproportionate punishment of black students. While about 15.5 percent of American school children are black, they make up 39 percent of students who are suspended from school. The stark disparity corresponds troublingly with that which is found in the prison system, where nearly 38 percent of inmates are black.
The GAO's report appears to debunk the belief that black students are more harshly punished because they are more likely to live in low-income households than white children, therefore facing the stressors of poverty which can in turn cause students to act out.
"The idea that discipline disparities transcend poverty is something that is pretty important and has not been understood in that way before," Nowicki told NPR.
The report "dispels claims that racially disproportionate rates of discipline are based solely on income," Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) said in a statement. "The analysis shows that students of color suffer harsher discipline for lesser offenses than their white peers and that racial bias is a driver of discipline disparities."
The report comes as Education Secretary Betsy DeVos considers whether to rescind 2014 guidance released by President Barack Obama, in which schools were advised to ensure that their students were not discriminated when punishments are handed out--or risk being found in violation of civil rights laws.
"Secretary DeVos and the Department of Education must ensure that the necessary resources and guidelines are in place to address these disturbing racial disparities in our schools, and I hope this report will provide the necessary urgency for quick action on this matter," said Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) in a statement.
A new federal report confirms that disparities in how children are disciplined in American persist across the nation--regardless of whether their schools are in low- or high-income areas.
Black students, boys, and students with disabilities were all found to be punished with suspension, expulsion, and referrals to the police more frequently than their counterparts, according to the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office's (GAO) first investigation into the issue, which has been reported by other groups in the past. The study used data regarding 95,000 schools compiled in the federal Civil Rights Data Collection.
The disparities were seen at a multitude of schools "regardless of the type of disciplinary action, regardless of the level of school poverty, and regardless of the type of public school attended," Jacqueline Nowicki, the lead researcher in the study, told NPR.
"The idea that discipline disparities transcend poverty is something that is pretty important and has not been understood in that way before." --Jacqueline Nowicki, GAO
Racial discrimination appears to be a leading reason for the disproportionate punishment of black students. While about 15.5 percent of American school children are black, they make up 39 percent of students who are suspended from school. The stark disparity corresponds troublingly with that which is found in the prison system, where nearly 38 percent of inmates are black.
The GAO's report appears to debunk the belief that black students are more harshly punished because they are more likely to live in low-income households than white children, therefore facing the stressors of poverty which can in turn cause students to act out.
"The idea that discipline disparities transcend poverty is something that is pretty important and has not been understood in that way before," Nowicki told NPR.
The report "dispels claims that racially disproportionate rates of discipline are based solely on income," Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) said in a statement. "The analysis shows that students of color suffer harsher discipline for lesser offenses than their white peers and that racial bias is a driver of discipline disparities."
The report comes as Education Secretary Betsy DeVos considers whether to rescind 2014 guidance released by President Barack Obama, in which schools were advised to ensure that their students were not discriminated when punishments are handed out--or risk being found in violation of civil rights laws.
"Secretary DeVos and the Department of Education must ensure that the necessary resources and guidelines are in place to address these disturbing racial disparities in our schools, and I hope this report will provide the necessary urgency for quick action on this matter," said Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) in a statement.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.
News & Opinion
Trending
Common Dreams, Inc. Founded 1997. Registered 501(c3) Non-Profit
Privacy Policy