03/21/2014 // West Palm Beach, Florida, US // JusticeNewsFlash // Justice News Flash // (press release)
Washington – Data released by the Education Department Friday shows that a disproportionate number of black preschool children are getting suspended from pubic schools. As reported by the Associated Press, the data shows that although this demographic represents approximately 18 percent of children enrolled in public preschool programs, they make up nearly half of those who are suspended more than once during the school year.
As noted in the report, the data illustrates the disparities; however it does not show the reason for student suspensions or provide an explanation for the disparities.
Education Secretary Arne Duncan is quoted by the AP as saying in a statement regarding the data, “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.”
Daniel Losen, director of the Center for Civil Rights Remedies for the Civil Rights Project at UCLA, says the findings are unsettling due to the likely reasons schools may be suspending children from school at that young of an age.
Losen is quoted as stating, “Almost none of these kids are kids that wouldn’t be better off with some support from educators… 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.”
This report is provided by Justice News Flash – Washington Legal News
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