Teachers Fight Back

Here we go again .  Another study showing that minority students are suspended more frequently than their white counterparts. Illinois has proven to be tops in the suspending of African-American students. One of every 4 African-American public school students in Illinois was suspended at least once for disciplinary reasons during the 2009-2010 school year. Chicago Public schools also had the widest gap in suspension rates between black and white students.

The report’s researchers called on  districts to implement more “equitable discipline policies.”  What that phrase really means is, “allow minority students more slack when they violate rules.”  What a bunch of nonsense.  I’m sure the report is also hinting that there must be racist teachers and administrators out there who are treating minority students more harshly. Oh please. I’ve never seen a racist teacher or administrator in my 40 years in the profession. Racist teachers and administrators wouldn’t last one day in the profession. People in education are the last people on earth to look at if you’re trying to find racists. No way. I never saw a teacher treat a student differently because of race.

In order to have an equal suspension rate in Chicago Public Schools, you would virtually have to suspend every white student, since white students only make up 9% of the student population.

Here’s a simple fact. Students who misbehave are more likely to be suspended than students who don’t. How’s that for an amazing logic ?  IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH RACE.  Only about three times during my career did I ever have a parent suggest that I was unfairly disciplining their child. My answer to those parents and to the researchers in this study were the same. If you don’t want your child to face disciplinary consequences, there’s a simple solution. Have them behave.

Every child is capable of following rules and regulations. Rules are set and enforced fairly and equally. Race, religion, ethnicity, are not and should not be factors in enforcing discipline. In my experience, they never have been. And yes, I have taught in schools with large minority populations.