This brief addresses the disproportionate rate of suspensions and expulsions Black students experience in Sacramento City Unified School District (SCUSD). Data in this brief are disaggregated by gender to further unveil the high suspensions of Black boys and young men in the district.
The Capitol of School Suspensions II
Examining the Racial Exclusion of Black Students in Sacramento City Unified School District
by J. Luke Wood, Frank Harris III & Mohamed Qas
This brief addresses the disproportionate rate of suspensions and expulsions Black students experience in Sacramento City Unified School District (SCUSD). Data in this brief are disaggregated by gender to further unveil the high suspensions of Black boys and young men in the district.
Some of the key findings include:
- Black males are 5 times more likely to be suspended in SCUSD than the statewide average.
- Black males in early childhood are 10.4 times more likely to be suspended than the statewide average for their same grade peers.
- Over one third of all Black male foster youth were suspended in SCUSD in 2018-2019.
- Cesar Chavez Intermediate has the highest suspension rate for Black males at 45.8%. John D. Sloat Elementary has the highest suspension rate for Black females at 26.8%.
- The highest suspension rates are in traditional public schools; however, disproportionate suspension rates in charter schools remain high.
Six Recommendations for Parents of Black Children
• Never leave your child in an unhealthy environment, even for the sake of a “good” school. – Andre Branch
• Never assume your child deserves the suspension, especially in early childhood education.
• Never assume your school is aware of their success data with Black children – show them*.
• Never allow a teacher or principal to refer to your child as a “problem” or “bad”.
• Never allow the school to reprimand your child without questioning what occurred and whether there were other children who did the same thing.
• Never assume the challenges your child faces are isolated – most likely, other parents of Black children are experiencing the same thing.-
