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Recent
statistics show that although only 43 percent of the Toledo
Public School student population is African American, more
than 70 percent of the days lost to disciplinary issues
involved black students. An issues brief released by The
Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity at the
Ohio State University’s highlights a number of alarming
disparities in the application of school discipline policies
in Ohio schools among African American, Latino, and White
students.
“More than 70
percent of the students involved in school-related arrests
or who are referred to
law enforcement were Hispanic or Black” says Robert Cole, a
managing attorney with Advocates for Basic Legal Equality,
Inc. (ABLE). Cole points out that “contrary to the
prevailing assumption that African American students are
just getting ‘what they deserve’ when they are disciplined,
research shows that African American students do not ‘act
out’ in the classroom any more than
their white peers.”
Partner law
firms ABLE and Legal Aid of Western Ohio, Inc. (LAWO) have
established a
Meaningful and Appropriate Education Practice Group to
address policies that result in obstacles to educational
opportunities such as disproportionate and inappropriate
discipline, highlighted in the
Kirwan Institute report, and other barriers to educational
opportunities for children in their 32 county service area
of northwest and west central Ohio.
“Students who
have been suspended are three times more likely to drop out
by the 10th grade than students who have never been
suspended. Dropping out in turn triples the likelihood that
a person
will be incarcerated later in life,” adds Cole, who manages
the new practice group.
The Kirwan
Institute’s issue brief follows a January 2014 release by
the federal Departments of Justice and Education on
guidelines for school discipline. According to the joint
statement, students of certain racial, ethnic, or disability
groups tend to be disciplined more than their peers. A copy
of the brief, “Racial Disproportionality in School
Discipline: Implicit Bias is Heavily Implicated,” can be
found
here.
“The LAWO and
ABLE Education Practice Group will focus its work on
addressing systemic issues to ensure appropriate educational
opportunities, particularly for children living in poverty,
African-American and Latino children, immigrant children,
homeless children, children in foster care, and children
with disabilities,” says Cole. “We may be able to help
eligible individuals in the northwest Ohio area who are
facing these challenges.”
Applications for legal help can be made by calling Legal Aid
Line at 1-888-534-1432 or online at
www.legalaidline.org.
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