Black preschoolers more likely to face suspension

[Danno 1,228]

It's 2014 and just when you thought we were making progress we now find out the Profession with the largest Union to back it up is in fact targeting Black children at the youngest ages wasting no time to put them on the School-to-prison pipe line (as our President calls it).

It is sickening to think that all these well behaving Black children are targeted so early.

Thanks to Obama we found out that Black teens have been targeted and were being suspended at much greater numbers than say Asians or even whites but now we know this diabolical plan by many teachers and school administrators working in concert are destroying young lives before they even reach the first grade.

What remains to be answered is WHY, why would these children be targeted, even by Black teachers and Black run school districts.

I have a feeling "fundamental change" is coming to American schools and Eric "My people" Holder is just the man for the job, he's the one who can make it very expensive for schools that don't comply with the new guidelines and quota system when it comes to school discipline.

Go Obama!

Black preschoolers more likely to face suspension

JESSE J. HOLLAND

Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Black students are more likely to be suspended from U.S. public schools -- even as tiny preschoolers.

The racial disparities in American education, from access to high-level classes and experienced teachers to discipline, were highlighted in a report released Friday by the Education Department's civil rights arm.

The suspensions -- and disparities -- begin at the earliest grades.

Black children represent about 18 percent of children in preschool programs in schools, but they make up almost half of the preschoolers suspended more than once, the report said. Six percent of the nation's districts with preschools reported suspending at least one preschool child.

Advocates long have said get-tough suspension and arrest policies in schools have contributed to a "school-to-prison" pipeline that snags minority students, but much of the emphasis has been on middle school and high school policies. This was the first time the department reported data on preschool discipline.

Earlier this year, the Obama administration issued guidance encouraging schools to abandon what it described as overly zealous discipline policies that send students to court instead of the principal's office. But even before the announcement, school districts have been adjusting policies that disproportionately affect minority students.

Overall, the data show that black students of all ages are suspended and expelled at a rate that's three times higher than that of white children. Even as boys receive more than two-thirds of suspensions, black girls are suspended at higher rates than girls of any other race or most boys.

The data doesn't explain why the disparities exist or why the students were suspended.

"It is clear that the United States has a great distance to go to meet our goal of providing opportunities for every student to succeed," Education Secretary Arne Duncan said in a statement.

"This critical report shows that racial disparities in school discipline policies are not only well documented among older students, but actually begin during preschool," Attorney General Eric Holder said. "Every data point represents a life impacted and a future potentially diverted or derailed. This administration is moving aggressively to disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline in order to ensure that all of our young people have equal educational opportunities."

Nationally, 1 million children were served in public preschool programs, with about 60 percent of districts offering preschool during the 2011-2012 school year, according to the data. The data show nearly 5,000 preschoolers were suspended once. At least 2,500 were suspended more than once.

Hispanic children made up nearly one-third of all preschoolers, but they made up 25 percent of the preschoolers suspended once and 20 percent of preschoolers suspended more than once.

Reggie Felton, interim associate executive director at the National School Boards Association, called the rates "unacceptable." He said there's more training going on to ensure teachers are aware of the importance of keeping students in school.

Daniel Losen, director of the Center for Civil Rights Remedies for the Civil Rights Project at UCLA, said the findings are disturbing because the suspended preschoolers are unlikely to be presenting a danger, such as a teenager bringing a gun to school.

"Almost none of these kids are kids that wouldn't be better off with some support from educators," Losen said. "Just kicking them out of school is denying them access to educational opportunity at such a young age. Then, as they come in for kindergarten, they are just that much less prepared."

Losen said it's appropriate to discipline a 4-year-old, but a more appropriate response might be moving them to a different educational setting with additional services.

"Most preschool kids want to be in school," Losen said. "Kids just don't understand why they can't go to school."

Kimbrelle Lewis, principal of Raleigh-Bartlett Meadows Elementary School in Memphis, said she's never suspended a child in her school's preschool program and would only consider it in an "extreme circumstance." She said her district provides behavior specialists and other services to children with discipline problems so strategies can be worked out with teachers and parents if preschoolers need additional support.

If there are racial disparities among preschoolers disciplined, "I do think it's something to look at. I think it's a conversation to have," said Lewis, who served on a committee with the National Association of Elementary School Principals looking at issues affecting younger school children.

Dennis Van Roekel, the president of the National Education Association teachers' union, said in a statement that the findings show that "too many children don't have equitable access to experienced

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http://www.wtop.com/346/3587284/Racial-disparities-in-suspensions

[Janelle2002 3,865]

what is your point?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Suspending 4 year old kids is stupid.

[Danno 1,228]

Suspending 4 year old kids is stupid.

I don't recall anyone getting suspended when I was that age. I do recall my mom getting called down when I got caught stealing chalk and hiding it in my playdoh container.

[Darnell 8,478]

preschoolers? suspended? that's whack,

as a parent pays money for preschool, at nothing free for that age group.

[Janelle2002 3,865]

I don't recall anyone getting suspended when I was that age. I do recall my mom getting called down when I got caught stealing chalk and hiding it in my playdoh container.

Well, when you don't want a certain racial group in your school or classroom, this will happen.

[Pooky 3,781]

Well, when you don't want a certain racial group in your school or classroom, this will happen.

Then maybe the teachers need re-education. Suspending preschoolers is plain daft.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Then maybe the teachers need re-education. Suspending preschoolers is plain daft.

Indeed.

[Darnell 8,478]

ok - i'll concede the point that in many blighted areas of the USA, they get grant monies to pay the tuition at the preschool.

sheesh.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

ok - i'll concede the point that in many blighted areas of the USA, they get grant monies to pay the tuition at the preschool.

sheesh.

In some states - such as this one - preschool is publicly funded.

[Golden Gate 530]

Then maybe the teachers need re-education. Suspending preschoolers is plain daft.

It's not often the teachers, it is the administrators who want a completely passive, quiet group of children, because they believe, wrongly, that kids learn better that way. This type of discipline is imposed on teachers by the administration. And incidentally, not all the administrators who feel this way are white.

Edited March 27, 2014 by Golden Gate

[Pooky 3,781]

It's not often the teachers, it is the administrators who want a completely passive, quiet group of children, because they believe, wrongly, that kids learn better that way. This type of discipline is imposed on teachers by the administration. And incidentally, not all the administrators who feel this way are white.

Having dealt with school administrators, I have to disagree with you, at least in this neck of the woods. Admin here wants to do as little as possible to upset the apple cart, no matter how serious the infraction, no matter how often it occurs.

[Janelle2002 3,865]

Having dealt with school administrators, I have to disagree with you, at least in this neck of the woods. Admin here wants to do as little as possible to upset the apple cart, no matter how serious the infraction, no matter how often it occurs.

Depending on the state and area this is true. All you hear is teachers telling parents to put their kids on ADHD medicines and such. They want a quiet classroom, where they do not have to think too much outside of the curriculum. I sat in a class and watched a teacher completely ignore a kid with very good questions. She rolled her eyes. She was completely annoyed he asked her a question that required her to use her think hat.

[Golden Gate 530]

Having dealt with school administrators, I have to disagree with you, at least in this neck of the woods. Admin here wants to do as little as possible to upset the apple cart, no matter how serious the infraction, no matter how often it occurs.

Ah, where is that?

I taught in North Carolina in the public schools, but I also see it in charter schools in Michigan, although not so much in the public schools here. I worked in the San Francisco schools also. I did notice a lot more political correctness going on there. The goal is to get children to conform and become pliable, and the administrators are the ones imposing these restrictions. Teachers who are afraid for their job, comply with what the administrators expect and perhaps many teachers are just as brainwashed. I think it is all a bunch of brainwashing to create the kind of worker this society wants -. work without question, consume, borrow, live a life in debt and servitude that prevents a citizen from truly seeking his/her rights, so the government doesn't have to fear any revolt by the people. Oh, and be a salesman. Because everything here is about money. They teach children to sell too.

Edited March 27, 2014 by Golden Gate

[Golden Gate 530]

Depending on the state and area this is true. All you hear is teachers telling parents to put their kids on ADHD medicines and such. They want a quiet classroom, where they do not have to think too much outside of the curriculum. I sat in a class and watched a teacher completely ignore a kid with very good questions. She rolled her eyes. She was completely annoyed he asked her a question that required her to use her think hat.

Yes, it is systemized brainwashing. Coincidentally, ADHD medicine is prescribed progressively more often the further you go east in the U.S. In some states, the population is already pretty brainwashed, so you don't have to force them to comply.