US tells schools not to alter discipline policies to reduce racial disparities
WASHINGTON, Aug 19 (Reuters) - The US Education Department has issued guidance urging schools to stop what it calls "racial balancing" in student discipline policies, prompting concerns that the Trump administration is making it harder to address longstanding racial disparities in school discipline.
The US Education Department has issued new guidance urging schools not to alter their discipline policies with the intent of reducing racial disparities, sparking concerns about the administration's approach to addressing longstanding racial disparities in school discipline. The guidance states that any decision by a school to modify its discipline policies solely to reduce racial disparities constitutes race discrimination.
This move comes after the department removed several "disparate impact" regulations that previously prohibited policies and practices with discriminatory effects, even if unintended. Critics, such as education equity advocacy group EdTrust's director of P-12 policy Eric Duncan, argue that telling schools to ignore race in addressing discipline disparities is counterproductive, given the historical overrepresentation of Black students in disciplinary actions.
Federal civil rights data has consistently shown that Black students, particularly Black boys, are disciplined at disproportionately high rates compared to their enrollment rates and white peers.
Brief written by urgent.news from Daily Maverick's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
