Report: Virginia’s black students three times as likely as whites to face suspension

Black students in Virginia’s schools were three times as likely as white students to be suspended last year, according to a new report on school punishments.

News Story (Virginia)

Moriah Balingit
Washington Post
May 24, 2016
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Tags: Minorities: Racial/Ethnic, Schools: Discipline

Organizations mentioned/involved: Legal Aid Justice Center (Virginia)

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DETAILS

The organizations are advocating for alternatives to suspensions and expulsions, which they think can derail a student’s path to a high school diploma and do not provide any benefits. They want schools instead to encourage good behavior and to implement programs that address the roots of misconduct.

“Students who are excluded from school are more likely to experience academic failure, dropping out, mental health problems, and justice system involvement,” the report’s authors wrote. “Worse yet, there is no evidence to suggest that suspension and expulsion deter misconduct or improve school safety.”