Illinois Racial Discipline Gap Widens- By The Associated Press- 11-23-09

Hi all... hope this finds everyone well!

Wondering again as we talk about the 5 Freedoms how this may fit.

Wondering about this trend nationally............

Highlights:

The AP analysis of state discipline records shows the racial divide has only worsened since then, from Chicago's troubled schools to rural areas with few minority students:

• Suspensions of black students have escalated by 75 percent since 1999, while those of white students have dropped more than 5 percent.

• When it comes to the more serious punishment of expulsion, white students are kicked out 16 percent more often than a decade ago, but black students are expelled 56 percent more often.

• Whites make up nearly three-fifths of public school enrollment, yet in the most recent data, they account for one-third or fewer of both suspensions and expulsions.

The proportion of blacks facing discipline has soared in all parts of the state even though the percentage of Illinois' black enrollment has steadily fallen in the past decade.

Hispanic suspensions are up too, but so is Illinois' Hispanic population. Latino students now slightly outnumber blacks with 20 percent of school enrollment, but account for just over 17 percent of all suspensions in the latest data, compared to 51.3 percent for blacks.

Experts see many factors at work: cultural differences between students and teachers, poverty, academic achievement, problems with classroom management and teacher training. They also see the possibility of racial bias in the way students are treated.

"There's a lot more going on than poverty and the characteristics of kids," said Russell Skiba, an Indiana University researcher who studies school discipline.

State Rep. Marlow Colvin, D-Chicago, predicting a legislative response next spring, said the numbers show not "an ounce of objectivity in terms of how these policies are applied to children of color. The facts are overwhelming in terms of who's being targeted."

It matters little where in the state a child answers the bell. Whether it's a poor urban district, a rich suburban district, or a rural area, blacks are getting written up in proportions far exceeding their white classmates.

How is your state doing??

be well... mike