Post by title1parent on Nov 28, 2009 8:35:04 GMT -5
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/schools/1905913,Race-and-school-punishment_au112609.article
Race and school punishment
Survey finds black students suspended at higher rates
November 26, 2009
By PAUL DAILING pdailing@scn1.com
In the Indian Prairie School District last year, black students made up 9 percent of the enrollment.
Yet they made up 41 percent of the students who were suspended multiple times.
This apparent disparity is one of the findings in a recent Associated Press survey on punishment and race in every school in the state.
In its examination of expulsions and suspensions, the AP found suspensions of black students escalated by 75 percent statewide since 1999, while those of white students dropped more than 5 percent. Black students are expelled 56 percent more often than a decade ago. White expulsions are up by a comparatively low 16 percent.
Hispanic punishment rates are also up — but so is the Hispanic student population. The percentage of black students in Illinois schools, meanwhile, has dropped since 1999.
In the Chicago suburbs, white suspensions fell while black ousters soared 94 percent.
Julie Woestehoff, director of the Chicago advocacy group Parents United for Responsible Education, said black boys are particularly likely to be labeled troublemakers.
There's a "very serious problem with the school system and its ability to serve the needs of that population," she said.
Indian Prairie
While 41 percent of the Indian Prairie students suspended more than once in the 2007-08 school year were black, 40 percent were white. White students made up 64 percent of the enrollment in the district, which covers parts of Aurora and Naperville, according to last year's state report card.
Black students also made up 32 percent of students suspended just once last year.
Indian Prairie's Still Middle School had one of the largest race disparities in the district last year. At the school, 53 percent of the students suspended once and 56 percent of students suspended more than once were black. The school's student body was 18 percent black.
Indian Prairie School Board President Curt Bradshaw would not comment on the district's suspension rates.
"The board only is involved in expulsions," Bradshaw said. "Expulsions in District 204 are extremely rare. We do all we can to put students in the most appropriate environment for them."
The district hasn't seen an expulsion since the 2005-06 school year, when five black students were expelled from Waubonsie Valley.
Since 1999, the district has expelled 21 students. Of them, five were white, two Hispanic and 14 black.
During that time, the proportion of black students ranged from 6.8 percent to 9 percent.
When asked if the board planned to look at race and punishment, Bradshaw said, "It's not something I want to comment on."
Indian Prairie administration officials did not return calls Tuesday, and the district was closed Wednesday for Thanksgiving break.
East and West Aurora
Although they were not as severe as in Indian Prairie, some disparities also existed in the West Aurora and East Aurora school districts.
In East Aurora last school year, black students made up 9.1 percent of total enrollment, but they made up 22 percent of the students suspended more than once and 17 percent of students suspended just once.
At East Aurora High School, black students made up 11.7 percent of the population, but 20 percent of multiple suspensions and 18 percent of single suspensions.
District spokesman Clayton Muhammad said the district has not yet seen the data but will look at the disparity to determine the next step.
"When you see the disproportion factors to those numbers, it calls for some courageous conversation," Muhammad said. "It calls for some legitimate action."
Although any plan would come from the School Board or administration, Muhammad said the discussion could follow the same route as past discussions on racial disparities in test scores.
At the West Aurora School District, 38 percent of students suspended more than once were black. That's more than double the 17.2 percent of population of black students last year.
District spokesman Mike Chapin said he was unaware of any incidents where parents or students claimed the rules were applied unfairly,
"We have school policies that are pretty meticulous in what gets you suspended and what gets you expelled," Chapin said. "In an environment like this, in a diverse environment, it's really important to be consistent in the application of the rules. I think that's what everybody wants is for it to be fair and for everyone to be treated the same way."
Other districts
In most of the 13 local school districts, the race breakdowns for punishments roughly match the district's race breakdown.
Sometimes, the numbers match eerily well, as with Geneva, where 92 percent of the students suspended once last year were white, and 91.1 percent of the student body is white.
Other times, the numbers can be misleading. For example, 11 percent of students suspended more than once from Hinckley-Big Rock District were black, despite the district having only 1.3 percent black students.
That might sound like a major disparity, but the tiny district only suspended nine students more than once last year. That means the 11 percent number refers to one student.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Race and school punishment
Survey finds black students suspended at higher rates
November 26, 2009
By PAUL DAILING pdailing@scn1.com
In the Indian Prairie School District last year, black students made up 9 percent of the enrollment.
Yet they made up 41 percent of the students who were suspended multiple times.
This apparent disparity is one of the findings in a recent Associated Press survey on punishment and race in every school in the state.
In its examination of expulsions and suspensions, the AP found suspensions of black students escalated by 75 percent statewide since 1999, while those of white students dropped more than 5 percent. Black students are expelled 56 percent more often than a decade ago. White expulsions are up by a comparatively low 16 percent.
Hispanic punishment rates are also up — but so is the Hispanic student population. The percentage of black students in Illinois schools, meanwhile, has dropped since 1999.
In the Chicago suburbs, white suspensions fell while black ousters soared 94 percent.
Julie Woestehoff, director of the Chicago advocacy group Parents United for Responsible Education, said black boys are particularly likely to be labeled troublemakers.
There's a "very serious problem with the school system and its ability to serve the needs of that population," she said.
Indian Prairie
While 41 percent of the Indian Prairie students suspended more than once in the 2007-08 school year were black, 40 percent were white. White students made up 64 percent of the enrollment in the district, which covers parts of Aurora and Naperville, according to last year's state report card.
Black students also made up 32 percent of students suspended just once last year.
Indian Prairie's Still Middle School had one of the largest race disparities in the district last year. At the school, 53 percent of the students suspended once and 56 percent of students suspended more than once were black. The school's student body was 18 percent black.
Indian Prairie School Board President Curt Bradshaw would not comment on the district's suspension rates.
"The board only is involved in expulsions," Bradshaw said. "Expulsions in District 204 are extremely rare. We do all we can to put students in the most appropriate environment for them."
The district hasn't seen an expulsion since the 2005-06 school year, when five black students were expelled from Waubonsie Valley.
Since 1999, the district has expelled 21 students. Of them, five were white, two Hispanic and 14 black.
During that time, the proportion of black students ranged from 6.8 percent to 9 percent.
When asked if the board planned to look at race and punishment, Bradshaw said, "It's not something I want to comment on."
Indian Prairie administration officials did not return calls Tuesday, and the district was closed Wednesday for Thanksgiving break.
East and West Aurora
Although they were not as severe as in Indian Prairie, some disparities also existed in the West Aurora and East Aurora school districts.
In East Aurora last school year, black students made up 9.1 percent of total enrollment, but they made up 22 percent of the students suspended more than once and 17 percent of students suspended just once.
At East Aurora High School, black students made up 11.7 percent of the population, but 20 percent of multiple suspensions and 18 percent of single suspensions.
District spokesman Clayton Muhammad said the district has not yet seen the data but will look at the disparity to determine the next step.
"When you see the disproportion factors to those numbers, it calls for some courageous conversation," Muhammad said. "It calls for some legitimate action."
Although any plan would come from the School Board or administration, Muhammad said the discussion could follow the same route as past discussions on racial disparities in test scores.
At the West Aurora School District, 38 percent of students suspended more than once were black. That's more than double the 17.2 percent of population of black students last year.
District spokesman Mike Chapin said he was unaware of any incidents where parents or students claimed the rules were applied unfairly,
"We have school policies that are pretty meticulous in what gets you suspended and what gets you expelled," Chapin said. "In an environment like this, in a diverse environment, it's really important to be consistent in the application of the rules. I think that's what everybody wants is for it to be fair and for everyone to be treated the same way."
Other districts
In most of the 13 local school districts, the race breakdowns for punishments roughly match the district's race breakdown.
Sometimes, the numbers match eerily well, as with Geneva, where 92 percent of the students suspended once last year were white, and 91.1 percent of the student body is white.
Other times, the numbers can be misleading. For example, 11 percent of students suspended more than once from Hinckley-Big Rock District were black, despite the district having only 1.3 percent black students.
That might sound like a major disparity, but the tiny district only suspended nine students more than once last year. That means the 11 percent number refers to one student.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.