News

Textbox Section

Activists, parents rally against school suspensions

May 26, 2016

Less than a week after new superintendent Dr. Anthony Hamlet outlined his priorities for the coming year, parents, students, and activists from One Pittsburgh’s Education Rights Network rallied to remind him and the board of their priority—ending the current suspension system that is detrimental to learning and biased against black children.

“Black kids, especially those with disabilities, are suspended more than any other demographic. They need to stop suspending our babies,” said Action United Director of Organizing Angel Gober. “Seventy-seven percent of suspensions are around dress code violations, lateness, conduct. These kids are missing a lot of time for petty infractions. Suspension don’t teach them anything—except how to get a day off.”

Read the full article.