By Rebecca Feldhaus
Chicago, IL – An Associated Press review of state data on suspensions and expulsions published in November found, among other things that suspensions of black students increased 75 percent from 1999-2008, while those of white students dropped five percent. In the 2007 academic year, blacks accounted for 51 percent of all suspensions, even though they make up about one-fifth of the student enrollment. Whites accounted for 28 percent of the suspensions, although they make up nearly three-fifths of the enrollment.
Expulsions of black students increased 56 percent from 1999-2008, while those of whites increased 16 percent. The report found It matters little where in the state students attend school - Chicago, suburbs, rural or urban areas, affluent or low-income.
In all cases, blacks were disciplined at higher rates than whites, especially compared to their proportion of the enrollment.