New data from the U.S. Education Department shows that black students, particularly boys, face harsher discipline in school than other students. They are suspended and expelled disproportionately and also arrested or referred to law enforcement more often. If they reviewed the dwindling number of states that use corporal punishment, they’d have found the disparity existed in that punitive category as well, based on our past reviews. Arkansas, too, reflects a disproportionate corporal punishment rate for black students. From the NY Times account:

“Education is the civil rights of our generation,” said Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, in a telephone briefing with reporters on Monday. “The undeniable truth is that the everyday education experience for too many students of color violates the principle of equity at the heart of the American promise.”

Disparities are not restricted to discipline. Schools with heavy minority enrollments tend to have fewer advanced courses and less experienced teachers. Minority students are also underrepresented in advanced courses.

Advertisement

Again, I have no doubt that when the full stats are released later this week that Arkansas districts will mirror — if not be even worse — than the national experience. Here’s one past example illustrating disparity in discipline, AP participation and classification as gifted or mentally retarded.

Be a Part of the Fight

Step up and make a difference by subscribing or donating to the Arkansas Times, the progressive, alternative newspaper in Little Rock that's been fighting for truth for 50 years. Our tough, determined, and feisty journalism has earned us over 63,000 Facebook followers, 58,000 Twitter followers, 35,000 Arkansas blog followers, and 70,000 daily email blasts, all of whom value our commitment to holding the powerful accountable. But we need your help to do even more. By subscribing or donating, you'll not only have access to all of our articles, but you'll also be supporting our efforts to hire more writers and expand our coverage. Join us in the fight for truth by subscribing or donating to the Arkansas Times today.

Previous article Sex and the Republican Party – a loser Next article Glendell Jones to be named Henderson president