Printer-friendly versionEvery time a new study is released showing black students are suspended at far higher rates than any of their peers, the public seems shocked. Words like “race” and “school to prison pipeline” and “discrimination” find their way into headlines—and then the issue fades away yet again.
How many studies does it take for our society to demand the eradication of a disciplinary model that is discriminatory in impact and profoundly ineffective?
This week, we add yet another study to the pile—this one by the Civil Rights Project (CRP) at the University of California Los Angeles—showing racial discrepancies in out-of-school suspensions. Analyzing data from nearly 7,000 school districts across the country, the authors found that one in every six black students were suspended during the 2009-2010 school year, as opposed to one in 13 American Indian students, one in 14 Latino students, one in 20 white students and one in 50 Asian students. Black students were also more likely to be suspended repeatedly.
Race isn’t the sole risk factor. The report also shows that when disability and gender are combined with race, the risk for suspension skyrockets. In some districts, suspension rates for male students of color with disabilities sometimes exceeded 33 percent.
As always happens in the wake of these studies, some people rush to deny that race plays any role in these statistical discrepancies. Russell Skiba of the Center for Evaluation and Education Policy at Indiana University told Ed Week some schools claim students of color simply misbehave more than their white counterparts. When Teaching Tolerance wrote about a 2010 study, we heard: “Principals don’t care if you’re black or white,” “getting suspended isn’t a matter of DNA,” “this analysis proves nothing.”
The pushback is understandable. It’s uncomfortable, even painful, to recognize that, in 2012, race still plays such a powerful role in the educational opportunities afforded to children and youth. But, taken as a group, the studies conducted over the past 10 years provide compelling evidence that we have to confront the role that race plays.
It is difficult to know, and impossible to quantify, the internal motives of those who disproportionately assign out-of-school suspensions to black students. What we do know is that that a significant percent of the suspensions given to black students are in response to “disrespect,” “excessive noise” or “disruption,”—behaviors that are subjectively judged.
White students are typically suspended for objective, observable offenses such as smoking or vandalism. This suggests that administrators in schools with disparate suspension histories, when given the latitude, consistently interpret the behavior of black students more harshly.
Michael Thomas, of the Council of State Governments’ Justice Center told The New York Times that “We have enough data to show it’s more than just poverty and any greater misbehavior. My guess is it’s very subtle interactional effects between some teachers and students.” Intentional or not, this tendency restricts the opportunities of black students.
The choice to suspend a student doesn’t happen in a vacuum. A study of Texas schools conducted by the Justice Center in 2010 showed that even schools with similar demographics had widely varied rates of suspension, suggesting that school climate plays a significant role in how suspensions are doled out. Zero tolerance policies, SROs and metal detectors create a punitive culture within a school that increases suspension rates.
The cost of these policies and practices is high—both for students and for our society as a whole. Students who are given out-of-school suspensions are more likely to drop out of school and to face future incarceration.
The good news is that across the country states and districts are turning away from zero tolerance and out-of-school suspensions because they recognize the damage they cause. Part of that process is examining your school’s policies to see if a problem exists. Teaching Tolerance has tools to help you.
Our School Climate Survey is a good place to begin evaluating the discipline situation at your school. “I Don’t Think I’m Biased” helps teachers assess their own biases, and Understanding the Influence of Race puts you on the first step of a positive path.
Policies that reward positive behavior and encourage self-management—such as reparative justice, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, student courts and behavior contracts—are far more effective discipline tools than zero-tolerance suspensions. Schools are realizing this.
By providing support and training for teachers and encouraging social and emotional strategies in the classroom, educators build a positive school environment that supports the education of all their students equally and leads to smaller achievement gaps and lower dropout rates.
If enough schools make the switch, maybe we’ll start seeing headlines with the words “academic success,” “progress” and even “equality.”
Comments
Unless the study also
Unless the study also includes other attributes such as income of family, etc., then I would consider the results of the study to be useless. Unless you can correlate the race factor to other social and demographic factors, then the results cannot be considered objective. I think you would find that there is a higher proportion of suspensions from students from lower income families and perhaps from single parent families. Perhaps that is the result of bias. I don't know. But unless you add in other pertinent factors, you can reach the wrong result and implement the wrong solution.
I suggest one stop trying to find race as a cause for every problem, and look further. Find the real problem. Then try to fix it.
I don't think you're
I don't think you're biased
http://www.tolerance.org/magazine/number-37-spring-2010/i-don-t-think-i-m-biased
Ditto RRoberts. Much, if
Ditto RRoberts. Much, if most of the cause is done before the child is in the school. Your studies show links of up to 30%, but we know that fatherlessness is the number one cause of poverty. Some of the crazies out there have been complaining about the breakdown of the family. There is cause and effect. Students from poor neighborhoods are more likely to have problems in school. Children are more likely to be in poor neighborhoods if they do not have married parents. Now I realize that you are a teacher, and fix the american family isn't in your job description. But if you want to lower the suspension rate of young black males, then lower the out of wedlock birth rate. Look at the things around you that support the decline of the family, don't support them. The suspension rate of young black males will go down. You could also change the school standards, but would that actually cause a positive impact on the behavior of those young black males who are getting suspended? If you don't think that there is a case for a strong improvement, then you have to look at the impact on other students.
Since the mid-60's man of us
Since the mid-60's man of us have been saying this is the worse thing you can do for a child is suspend them!!! Did the schools every listen? NO It is easier to get rid of them rather than determine if there are learning disabilities (many schools do not want to document the diagnosis as they then have to pay for the services), family problems that lead to poor behavior/depression, or medical issues. Now in 2012, it is still a rampant policy and send kids out on the streets. I worked in juvenile probation for a number of years and tried to work closely with schools and it was more than frustrating!!!! as we did not get very far in developing an individual plan for the child/family. I also was the CEO of a large organization providing Head Start, preschool projects, special education programs for young children and their families. WE placed classrooms in school disricts in hope to bridge the gap between between children's needs, understanding and modeling for elementary teachers how real family involvement and support works and impacts all children. I realize the teachers are overloaded and the administration is "overloaded"in administrators and those whom have been promoted as no one ever seems to be terminated in school districts. The money could be spent at the local school level to develop policies and implementation for culture change in approaching our highly dyfunctional society by preventing drops out which often lead the path to prisons, drug abuse, teenage pregnancy, etc. When are we going to wake up and DEMAND changes in the school culture?
I'm with you Debbie. As a
I'm with you Debbie. As a School Psychologist in a major school district I am fully aware that race is part of the discrepancy in statistics of students being suspended or expelled from school It happens right before your eyes and yet people rush to come up with any other reason to exclude bias as PART of the problem. People do not want to open their eyes to that fact that race is still a problem (among other factors of course) that affects our kids!
While reading The Quality
While reading The Quality School Teacher again [fall, 06], I realized the teachings of Dr. Glasser* should be the standard in every school. [1995 I read two of his books.] I then read: Quality School, Schools Without Failure, Reality Therapy, Unhappy Teenager and Every Student Can Succeed,. "Problems in school can be solved with one rule: THE GOLDEN RULE:* Treat others [includes students] as you want others to treat you. All the students in all my classes complete all the class work. Student with nothing to do guarantees misbehavior. I figure out something for them to do. I never have misbehavior or discipline problems in my classrooms.
Children are born wanting to learn. They have five basic needs: love/belonging, freedom, power, fun, survival.*
"Children must be allowed 'to think, to work, to love and to play' to succeed in school, in social settings and in challenging situations. Parents/teachers must resist the pressure to control." Dr. Paul Donohue “People show and receive love in five basic ways: through touch, acts of service, words of affirmation, by spending quality time together and through the giving and receiving of gifts” [G. Chapmen]. Example: Jaime Escalante See below. Satisfy one or more of these and students willingly learn. When these are denied, they resist. They should not be slaves or prisoners. "Only schools pin 'failure' on a child."* There are two ways to teach:
1. Boss-teacher/principal:* They are obsessed with domination and control of students [PTAVE]. Seven Deadly Habits: 1) Criticizing 2) Blaming 3) Complaining 4) Nagging 5) Threatening 6) Punishing 7) Bribing or rewarding to control. "Some teachers are mean to us." In one school, a teacher was called "Mrs. Bulldog" by students. One called her that to her face and she started crying. He was sent to AEP. Other: "She is mean. "Other "She is a Bi---."
a. Does not respect/love students; therefore, students have no respect/love for them
b. Assumes students will misbehave.
c. Continuous discipline problems.
d. Continuously sending students to the office. "Of the students sent to the office, a few teachers send most of them." [Assistant Principal & an ISS teacher]
e. Extremely critical of lead-teachers. Some refuse to allow lead-substitute teachers to sub for them.
2. Lead-teacher/principal:* Seven Caring Habits are: 1) Supporting 2) Encouraging 3) Listening
4) Accepting 5) Trusting 6) Respecting 7) Negotiating differences
a. Never threatens or punishes; Says when there is a problem we will work it out.
b. Will be told that her/his discipline is lax.
c. Very unpopular with boss-teachers.
d. Will be criticized for caring too much. "Touch is our most intimate form of communication." GH Colt, RD, Nov 07 "From birth, children must have nurturing: affection, touching, cuddling, hugs and kisses. Parents, grandparents and teachers must do this. Most children are desperate for attention and affection - "primary reason for teen sexual activity" Columbian exchange student. "21 Tricks for Taming Adolescents: #17: Hold them every day." Pittman, Psy Today, 95.
e. No misbehavior/discipline problems. Students respect them, consider them "cool" and write them love notes.
1. Thinking has been eased from education.*
2. Inability to plan/make decisions from non-thinking education.*
3. Teachers must deal with thinking students.*
4. Students who feel good, solve problems, involved
with teachers, do not misbehave in school.*
5. It is better to build children than to repair adults.
6. "We are desperate for 'clear thinking'." President, Dartmouth College, 2010
*Dr. Glasser, wglasser.com
[1]. Highly intelligent kids, includes dyslexics, are bored in class, misbehave; no punishment. Kids are not "miniature adults". The decision-making area of the brain is not fully developed until the early twenties. 16 year olds have 3 times more wrecks than 17 year olds and 5 times more than 18 year olds. ADD/ADHD students should listen to music while working; prevents distractions. Standard practice in elementary schools and should be in middle & high schools.
[2]. Students know in seconds whether a teacher respects/loves them. If true, they respond with respect and love.
[3]. A major cause of misbehavior is broken homes: kids are victims. They build a defense system to cope; do not punish them. doesgodexist.org/MayJun08. Their misbehavior is a cry for help.
[4]. Classroom problems are the result of boss-teaching; when the teacher changes, students change. stopbullyingnow.com/teachers%20who%20bully%20students%20McEvoy.pdf.
[5]. How can students learn decision-making and responsibility when they are totally controlled? Since 2001 [NCLB] schools have become factories for "rote learning". We want "thinking" students. They make mistakes with us to help them up. "I grew up on a farm where we were allowed to climb trees, fall out and get hurt." Tim Tebow. No ISS/AEP.
[6]. "Schools That Work": G H Wood [a] Classrooms are seldom quiet! [b] Fratney School: not once did I hear a teacher blame a child for not learning. [c] "A Teacher Quality Manifesto" WSJ 22 Sept 10 Schools with few rules and that allow student freedom are very successful.
[7]. Jaime Escalante was a model teacher but few teachers have adopted his methods. "Escalante Stood and Delivered; It's Our Turn" WSJ, 2 Ap 10.
[8]. Schools are not educating students for the real world—major complaint of school dropouts. Courses are taught as if students are going for a PhD in that subject. Schools should teach 3Rs, art, music, vocational, advance.
[9]. Shocking: Of students starting college, only 70% return for 2nd year; only 50% graduate within five years; only 36% take a job requiring a degree. [ACT & NCES] Universities have lowered their standards to accommodate incoming HS graduates.
[10]. Government and NCLB destroyed the best educational system in the world. Looked at what we accomplished with 150? years of public education! That is why private schools, church schools and homeschooling [300,000+ in TX, 10% of the students in OK] are growing fast.
[11]. Governments pass laws governing schools and then pass a law [charter schools] allowing schools to waiver all those laws?
Ken Hargesheimer, minifarms@gmail.com
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I was substituting for four days in a computer lab.
Tuesday, Chris was absent but on Wednesday he came into the room and sat down at a computer and started studying. No earphones were allowed and he put them on. I took them away. He played a lot. I talked to him but was getting nowhere. Here is a boy who has never been a discipline problem. He is an 8th grader and I had him in class since 6th grade. Wonderful little boy.
Thursday was worst behavior. First period he came into my room to use the computer for ROTC. Misbehaved some with the teacher. When he came to computer lab it just got worst. He put on earphones and told him to take them off. He put them on again. I took them off and I talked to him but he would not communicate with me. I was getting no where. I went to my desk and wrote him up to turn in to the assistant principal. He put the headphones on again.
I went to the counselor and talked to her and told her I was going to leave the problem with her and his teacher and they could decide what to do. I had the write-up slip in my pocket and it dropped out. I got to my room and could not find it. The assistant principal had found it. She said he should not be disrespectful and misbehave. I said that I had talked to him. She wanted to know if he apologized and I said no but I was going to talk to him again. She gave the write-up slip back to me.
Thursday, during Channel One, he came in my room to visit with a girl. As he was leaving, I met him at the door and told him I wanted to talk to him. He started down the hall away from me. I took hold of his jacket and said I want to talk to you. He went behind my open classroom door and the wall so I blocked his exit. I said I want to talk to you about your behavior and moved away so he could leave. He stepped out from behind the door and did not leave. All of a sudden, his demeanor changed. He said that there are problems at home. I asked what problems. He said his cousin had died. I asked when was he buried. Tuesday. I said ok, now I understand your problem and why you have been misbehaving.
Friday, his behavior was back to his usual self. I told him that I destroyed the write-up slip.
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I gave a copy of this to the assistant principal, counselor and teacher. Dr. Glasser is 100% correct. Lead teachers find the reason[s] for the misbehavior. .
Ken Hargesheimer, 2006-2007 minifarms@gmail.com