School expulsions hit minorities, special ed students hardest
A new report Wednesday showed that minority and special education students are more likely to be expelled from Texas schools than other students. The report from Texas Appleseed, a public interest law center, found that 8,202 students were expelled from regular schools in 2008-09, with most sent to Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Programs. The Dallas school district - the second largest in the state - expelled the largest number of any district at 408.
"Being expelled from school increases these students' chances of advancing farther in the school-to-prison pipeline," said Texas Appleseed Legal Director Deborah Fowler. Citing the study's breakdown of students who were expelled, Fowler said her group is "seeing a disturbing trend: minority and special education students are being expelled at rates disproportionate to their representation in Texas' student population." For example, while
"Being expelled from school increases these students' chances of advancing farther in the school-to-prison pipeline," said Texas Appleseed Legal Director Deborah Fowler. Citing the study's breakdown of students who were expelled, Fowler said her group is "seeing a disturbing trend: minority and special education students are being expelled at rates disproportionate to their representation in Texas' student population." For example, while