Florida school districts discipline black students more harshly than white students, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday. The Southern Poverty Law Center filed the lawsuit and references school district data.
In Bay county schools, African-American students account for 30 percent of all out of school suspensions even though they comprise only 15 percent of the student population.
In Okaloosa county schools, African-American students account for 24 percent of all out of school suspensions even though they make up only 12 percent of the student population.
In Escambia county schools, African-American students account for 65 percent of all out of school suspensions, but they represent only 36 percent of the student population.
The complaints explain how the school districts have imposed long term suspensions on children as young as eight for minor rule infractions such as tardiness, inappropriate cell phone usage, talking in class and dress code violations.
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