Page A4
May 11.2005
Opinion articles do not
necessarily reflect or represent the
views o f The Portland Observer
O pinion
Too Many Suspensions, Expulsions for Black Students
Unfair school
discipline to
minorities
V anessa R. G aston
U rban L eague oe P ortland
by
PRESIDENT AND CEO
When people talk about elimi­
nating the achievement gap, they
tend to focus on one area— aca­
demic achievement— which is usu­
ally defined as getting students to
pass standardized tests. I hear little
conversation about how students
of color, especially African Ameri­
cans, are disproportionately drop­
ping out of school or being forced
out of school through repeat sus­
pensions or expulsion.
If we are to succeed in eliminat­
ing the achievement gap, we must
address this issue. Not only is the
current educational system failing
to teach students of color and low-
Not only is the current educational
system failing to teach students o f color
and low-income students, but it also is
unfairly punishing them and pushing
them out of the system.
income students, but it also is un­
fairly punishing them and pushing
them out of the system.
In February 2005, the Juvenile
Rights Project completed a 3-year
study on the overrepresentation of
children o f color in school disci­
pline incidents. It found thatthe
Oregon Department of Education
and most school districts have not
consistently tracked suspensions
and expulsions by race. However,
Portland Public Schools has col­
lected this information.
Findings from the study indicate
that during the 2002-03 school year,
PPS enrolled 52,969 students and
had 2,324 major disciplinary refer­
rals resulting in suspension or ex­
pulsion. While Caucasian students
represented 60.3 percent of enrolled
students, they made up 38.4 per­
cent of the major disciplinary refer­
rals. African Americans represented
only 16.5 percent of enrolled stu­
dents, but accounted for 43.5 per­
cent of all major disciplinary refer­
rals. During that same year, 8.1
percent of African Americans stu­
dents were suspended or expelled
compared to only 2.24 percent of
Caucasian students.
Research studies find no evi­
dence that African Americans mis­
behave at a significantly higher rate
than other children, yet they are
much more likely to be punished.
Why is this the case? JR P’s report
indicates that children o f color are
punished more severely than oth­
ers due to cultural differences and
lack of training and resources for
teachers. The report emphasizes
what most of us already know—
that children o f color and low-in­
come children are often taught by
less experienced teachers (usually
Caucasian) in overcrowded class­
rooms with outdated books and
inadequate supplies. Lack of pa­
rental involvement among minori­
ties is another factor, as these par­
ents often have overburdened lives
and failed experiences with the
school system.
According to the JRP study,
African American students feel that
teachers and principals are deliber­
ately targeting them, while Cauca­
sian teachers and students believe
the treatment is objective. This
finding suggests that racial biases
(conscious or unconscious) per­
meate the school environment.
A high school principal recently
told me that if a child cannot read by
the third grade, he will begin acting
out in class because he does not
understand the lesson. Many times,
teachers misinterpret that frustra­
tion as a behavioral issue rather
than a learning difficulty, and chil­
dren are punished instead of helped.
The disproportionate num ber
o f disciplinary referrals among
students of color is alarming when
one considers the im pact on stu-
continued
on page AS
Double Standard Black leaders face biased scrutiny
by
J udge G reg M athis
It’s not enough that most black
political leaders have to fight their
way to the top, overcoming all sorts
of political and social racism -fro m
both the general population and
colleagues. Once there, they are
expected to walk a rigid line or risk
having their every misstep publ icly
criticized.
TIME magazine recently named
Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley
one of the “5 Best Big City May­
ors." The weekly cited the rejuve­
nation of C hicago’s downtown
area, ex p a n d in g g reen space
throughout the city and a declining
murder rate when explaining why
Daley made the cut.
In the very same issue, Kwame
Kilpatrick of Detroit and John Street
tu rn in g
aro u n d the c ity ’s 165 ‘favored’ trucking
Philadelphia’s low-in- firm s have paid Daley and his
come communities. But brothersince 1996. The magazine
that apparently didn’t does state that corruption has
factor i nto the editor’s “caught up w ith” D aley’s allies,
but that he him self has “avoided
decision making.
This is not to say im plication.” If M ayor Street can
th a t b la c k le a d e rs be negatively judged for his ‘
shouldn’t be held to corrupt’ friends, why can ’t Mayor
high standards. Quite D aley?
This separate set o f standards
tion boom, m ajor road and tran s­ the contrary - all public officials
p o rta tio n im p ro v e m e n ts and - both black and w hite - should plays out on an international level
riverfront overhaul, all initiatives be held accountable for their ac­ as well. Kofi Annan, the U nited
begun during K ilpatrick’s tenure. tions. This isn ’t alw ays the case. Nations’ first black Secretary G en­
T IM E ’S article m akes no m en­ eral, has been heavily scrutinized
Mayor Street was singled out for
having what TIME calls “corrupt” tion o f D aley’s scandal-plagued for his role in the U N ’s oil-for-
friends, despite there being no evi­ H ired Truck Program that has, so food program , when evidence
dence that Street has been involved far, resulted in over a dozen in­ show s that the bulk o f the illicit
in any wrong doing. The magazine d ictm en ts and has dom inated funds received by Sadam Hussein
goes on to state that Street has C hicago headlines. The editors came from back-alley dealings led
made ‘considerable’ progress in also chose to ignore the funds by the U.S. and Britain. It rem ains
Blacks have always had to
'do better ’ to succeed - get
better grades, work longer
hours, do more in less time.
o f Philadelphia, both African-
Americans, were named two of the
worst big city mayors.
TIM E called K ilpatrick to the
carpet for using city funds to lease
a vehicle when city jobs and 24-
hour bus service were elim inated
in an attem pt to manage the city ’s
$230 million budget deficit. TIME
d o esn ’t discuss D etro it's resi­
dential and com m ercial construc­
to be seen if the real culprits will
be brought to task.
Blacks have always had to ‘do
better’ to succeed - get better
grades, work longer hours, do more
in less time. As a people, we have
come to accept this as a byproduct
o f living in a society where we are
not treated equally.
W hat we should not accept is
this double standard where white
politicians walk under a positive
spotlight, regardless of whether or
not it is deserved, and black leaders
are constantly thrust under this
‘interrogation’ lamp.
Judge Greg Mathis is chairman
o f the Rainbow PUSH-Excel Board
and a national board member o f
the Southern Christian Leadership
Conference.