Oak Park–River Forest committee reviews discipline disparities after parent raises suspension case

Summary

At the March 18 committee meeting, the district presented discipline data showing 19 out-of-school suspensions last year (about half a percent of students) of which 18 were nonwhite; a public commenter urged review of a specific suspension/expulsion case and questioned how the Behavior Education Plan defines "weapon."

The Culture, Climate and Behavior Committee of Oak Park - River Forest SD 200 on March 18 reviewed state disciplinary-disparity data and the district's Behavior Education Plan after a parent and advocate raised concerns about a pending suspension that they said followed years of bullying.

Megan Jackson, who identified herself as a former public school teacher and an education-services provider, told the committee she is representing a family with a student recommended for a 10-day suspension and possible expulsion. Jackson said the student "was not actually able to learn in a safe environment free from bullying, harassment, and discrimination" and asked the committee to review how the district interprets the BEPparticularly language that treats "any object" used to cause harm as a weapon. "Families with single Black mothers and gifted Black female children are being treated extremely poorly by staff and administrators," Jackson said, and requested follow-up from the committee ahead of a suspension hearing.

Why it matters: District administrators told the committee that, while OPRF's overall suspension rate is low (about 0.5 percent of students), the state flagged the district because of racial disproportionality: administrators said there were 19 out-of-school suspensions last year in a student body of roughly 3,000 and that 18 of those 19…

Oak Park–River Forest committee reviews discipline disparities after parent raises suspension case

Summary

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