A recent report from a civil rights research and advocacy group reveals that Black and Hispanic students are more likely to face expulsion or suspension when they violate school rules. These punishments are sometimes unrelated to maintaining student safety. According to the report’s author, Daniel J. Losen, school discipline records are often seen as a measure of school safety rather than academic health. However, there is no evidence to suggest that removing students from school improves the education of their peers. In fact, studies show that punishing students increases their risk of dropping out. The report, titled “Discipline Policies, Successful Schools, and Racial Justice,” emphasizes the importance of finding alternative methods to manage student behavior. It was published by the National Education Policy Center at the University of Colorado in Boulder.
Data from various states suggests that both school suspensions and racial disparities have increased since the 1970s. Mr. Losen analyzed data from the U.S. Department of Education’s office for civil rights in 2006 and discovered that over 28% of African-American middle school boys had been suspended at least once compared to 10% of white males nationwide. The numbers were 18% of black girls compared to 4% of white girls. Mr. Losen emphasizes that schools have the ability to control the massive increase in out-of-school suspensions, which is a key indicator of a student’s likelihood of dropping out.
While there are cases where expulsions or suspensions are necessary, such as when a student brings a weapon to school, many disciplinary actions are for minor infractions. The 2006 data shows that 3.25 million students, 7% of all K-12 students at the time, had been suspended at least once. Only about 102,000 were expelled. Mr. Losen explains that these suspensions are often for minor violations. For instance, a student may be mistakenly accused of using a cell phone in class, resulting in a suspension. Zero-tolerance policies like these are unfair and contribute to a dehumanizing school environment. In some cases, racial disparities are evident in the discipline. For example, in North Carolina, a review of data from the 2008-2009 school year shows that first-time black middle school offenders were suspended at a rate of almost 33% for possessing or using a cell phone, while white students were suspended at a rate of 14.5%. Similarly, for dress-code violations, 38.3% of black students compared to 16.6% of white students were suspended for a first-time offense. Losen argues that suspending or expelling students for such minor infractions can exacerbate issues like gang affiliation, rather than solving them.
Overall, the report aims to draw attention to school discipline practices that are disproportionately harsh and affect students of different races, genders, and ethnic groups. It highlights the need for schools to reevaluate their disciplinary policies and prioritize alternative methods that promote an inclusive and safe academic environment.
Swapping out suspensions and expulsions for alternative forms of discipline does not mean that a school is giving up control and inviting chaos, according to Mr. Losen. The Baltimore district successfully reduced suspensions in recent years, which in turn decreased the dropout rate. The school system worked with the police department and implemented various methods to change the way students are disciplined, as well as increased efforts to support chronically absent students and dropouts and bring them back to the classroom. Both the Baltimore district and the Clayton County school district in Georgia, which also reformed their disciplinary practices, did not require additional funding, according to County Juvenile Court Judge Steven Teske. He said that it was about changing the system and finding new approaches with the existing resources. Referrals to his court from school police officers have significantly decreased in recent years, allowing him to allocate more resources to deal with juveniles who have committed serious crimes. Judge Teske explained that students now feel more inclined to share information about potential incidents, whereas in the past they would fear the school police officers. Another positive outcome of reducing suspensions is an increase in the district’s graduation rate. Judge Teske asked, “Who would have thought that keeping kids in school would actually lead to higher graduation rates?”
There is a growing movement to reform school discipline policies that heavily rely on suspensions and expulsions. These policies have been criticized for being unequally applied among schools and students of different races and backgrounds. They also tend to contribute to higher dropout rates and have a correlation with students ending up in the criminal justice system. Recently, there have been several developments in this area. In Fairfax County, Virginia, a teenager’s suicide was connected to a seven-week suspension he received for his first serious school rule violation. This tragic incident, along with another death in the district, prompted the school board to reconsider the severity of consequences for rule-breaking students. This example highlights the question of whether schools are being too strict with their disciplinary measures.
In July, a report raised doubts about the effectiveness of increased suspensions and expulsions in Texas public schools. The report, conducted by the Council of State Governments, found that over half of middle and high school students in Texas were suspended or expelled at least once between 7th and 12th grades. However, these punishments were not consistently applied among students of different races, abilities, and schools. Furthermore, students who were disciplined with suspensions and expulsions were more likely to repeat a grade or drop out of school compared to their peers who were not punished in the same way. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder also expressed their concerns about school discipline policies that push children into the juvenile justice system instead of allowing them to pursue an education. They emphasized the need to reshape these policies to address the disproportionate disciplining of young African-American boys.
Coinciding with the release of this report, the Dignity In Schools campaign organized a National Week of Action on School Pushout, which involved demonstrations in various states. The campaign advocates for an end to zero-tolerance policies and promotes the use of alternative methods for disciplining students, such as positive behavioral interventions and supports. The campaign also wants to see improvements in reporting incidents and information about drug use in schools, as well as increased support for low-performing schools to improve school climate, rather than imposing sanctions based solely on student performance. Mr. Losen recommends that the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act should include incentives for schools, districts, and states to improve classroom and behavior management in contexts with high rates of suspension and expulsion. He argues that the idea of punishing “bad” kids by kicking them out of school is an ineffective educational practice.