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1/ I got several emails today about racial disparities in suspension rates at Austin schools in response to this story. Many folks had questions related to the causes of/context around inequities in schools so I compiled a list of resources/info (thread): https://www.statesman.com/news/20200626/austin-schools-suspend-black-students-nearly-5-times-as-often-as-white-students
2/ The following resources are by no means a comprehensive list, nor are they Austin-specific. Rather, these books and articles address this history of racial inequities in schools and provide relevant context about what happens in the U.S. education system as a whole.
3/ First of all, since I received some direct questions about this, I think it is important to note that many studies have shown that Black students are punished more harshly than white students for the exact same behaviors. https://www.pnas.org/content/116/17/8255
4/ Some have theorized this disparity occurs because (studies show) adults see Black children as less innocent and less in need of protection than white children. This societal belief (like so much else) has its roots in slavery and white supremacy. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2014/03/black-boys-older
5/ This matters for a lot of reasons — one of them being that disciplinary measures like out-of-class suspensions make it more likely that students will be caught up in the carceral system, an effect known as the school-to-prison pipeline. https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/spring-2013/the-school-to-prison-pipeline
6/ The school-to prison pipeline puts the education system in direct relationship with mass incarceration and the prison system. A great way to learn more about mass incarceration and its impact is by reading @thenewjimcrow by Michelle Alexander https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781595586438
7/ Also, it is worth noting how disproportionate disciplinary
measures and suspensions rates impact Black girls in particular. @MoniqueWMorris has an excellent book on this topic called "Push Out: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools" https://bookshop.org/books/pushout-the-criminalization-of-black-girls-in-schools-9781620973424/9781620973424
measures and suspensions rates impact Black girls in particular. @MoniqueWMorris has an excellent book on this topic called "Push Out: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools" https://bookshop.org/books/pushout-the-criminalization-of-black-girls-in-schools-9781620973424/9781620973424
8/ Lastly, Black students are more likely than white students to be put in special ed programs, which also removes Black students from mainstream classrooms. Plus, students in special ed/with disabilities are also more likely to be suspended. Read more: https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/20063978.pdf?seq=1
9/ Clearly, the relationship between race/racism and education is incredibly complex, and it is something I believe everyone should know more about (including myself!). If anyone has additional resources they want to add, feel free to do so!
