California School District Punishes Black Students More Severely, According To Federal Investigation
A federal investigation has found that Black students receive harsher punishments in the Victor Valley Union High School District, located in southern California's San Bernardino County.
According to CNN, a 2014 federal investigation saw higher rates of suspensions and expulsions where Black students were given harsher punishments than white students for the same behavior. Officials from the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights said the school district violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
In one incident, a Black 7th grader was punished for skipping class, but it was the student's first attendance referral for that school year. However, a staff member wrote that the student created a "hostile environment," which resulted in a suspension. Black students were often given more severe punishments for dress code violations, "being loud," "inappropriate behavior," and truancy.
Catherine Lhamon, assistant secretary for the Office of Civil Rights, said in a statement, "What we do when we do that to kids is we teach them that they don't count. We teach them that their schools are not ready for them, that their schools don't believe in them, and that our community isn't there for them. That's absolutely the worst message that we can send from schools."
The school district has promised to make changes, but Black students receiving unfair discipline has been a documented issue for years. Back in 2011, The Washington Post reported that in the Washington metropolitan area, Black students are suspended and expelled from school as much as five times more frequently than white students. The National Education Policy Center also found that Black and Latino students in public schools are suspended at far higher rates than white students. As recently as October, the American Psychological Association reported on Black students being severely punished and the impact of such treatment on those stuent’s mental health.
