Children Who Get Suspended
Race, Gender, and Disability are Significant Factors

Andjela Kaur

Looking at the Data
Social scientists sometimes use statistics to document and explain the world around us. Look at the graph below and think about what it shows. Here are some questions that may guide your thinking:

1. What do the bars represent? What is being measured?
2. Which group has the highest suspension rate and which has the lowest?
3. Which are the tallest and shortest bars in each section and what do they represent?
4. What’s the difference between the left side and right side of the graph?

When I look at the graph, I notice that boys get suspended way more than girls in every racial group. I see that Black boys have the highest rate at 34%, American Indian boys are next at 29%, and white boys have the lowest rate at 12%. I also see that girls follow a similar pattern but with lower numbers overall. Black girls still have the highest rate at 27%, while white girls have the lowest at 6%.

When I read these numbers, I wonder why this is happening. Why are Black boys and girls more often suspended than white boys and girls? Why are boys overall suspended more often than girls?

Source: National Center for Learning Disabilities. (2020). Significant disproportionality in special education: Current trends and actions for impact. https://ncld.org

But then, when I pay even closer attention to how these numbers connect, I see that Black girls with disabilities (27%) get suspended more often than white boys with disabilities (12%). Think about that: even though boys usually get in trouble more than girls, race seems to matter more than gender here. Why is that?

Historical Context
In my work, I read a lot about history. So, when I try to understand why Black girls get suspended more than white boys, I think about a long and ugly history in the United States when Black people were without any good reason thought of as less capable and more disobedient. For over 100 years, some people used fake science called “eugenics” to claim that certain races were naturally more violent or less intelligent. They also said people with disabilities were “defective.” These ideas were used to justify terrible treatment of people of color and people with disabilities. Because of eugenic thinking, many people have lost their basic rights.

Even though we know eugenics was wrong, those old ideas might still influence how people think today. When teachers and principals see certain students as “more likely to cause trouble,” they might be unconsciously following those old, harmful stereotypes. Sometimes, even researchers who create research by dividing people into demographic groups could be using this old eugenic thinking.

Current Factors
Although it is important to look back at history and seek explanations, I am also careful to note that discrepancies like these exist in our world today. Health scientists say that these suspension patterns might also reflect what they call “social determinants of health.”

Social determinants of health are the conditions where people live, work, and go to school that affect their wellbeing. Students from communities with less access to healthcare, healthy food, safe housing, or economic opportunities may face more stress and trauma. This stress can affect behavior and learning in ways that might lead to more school discipline.

For example, a student dealing with housing instability, food insecurity, or community violence might have trouble concentrating or controlling emotions at school. Instead of getting help for these underlying problems, they might just get suspended. This creates a cycle where the students who need the most support get pushed out of school the most.

Using Data to Inform Decisions?
Finally, statistics like these should help us reflect on our policies and perhaps change them. For example, schools could make new rules that aim to lessen the racial discrepancy in their punishments.

However, we should be careful about what statistics can and can’t tell us. Numbers can hide important details, like what actually happened before each suspension, or whether schools tried to help these students in other ways first. Statistics can also reflect the biases of the people collecting the data or making the decisions that create the numbers. Just because we can measure something doesn’t always mean we understand why it happens, but it does often confirm or show that something is happening.

The bottom line is that students with disabilities who are also Black or American Indian face much higher suspension rates than white students. Whether this is because of unfair treatment rooted in historical prejudices or other factors, it means these kids are missing more school time, which could hurt their education and their futures.

Implications for Adult Education
Although the graph (on p. 26) represents what is happening in K-12 schools, we can see how this connects to adult education. Many adults who come to adult education programs are there because they were pushed out of regular school as kids, often through the same unfair discipline patterns we see in this graph. Black and American Indian adults with disabilities might be more likely to need adult education not because they chose it, but because they got suspended so much as kids that they never finished school properly.

For some students, walking into an adult education classroom can bring back painful memories. A Black man with a learning disability might remember being labeled as a “troublemaker” in middle school and getting suspended for behaviors that were really just signs he needed help. A woman might recall feeling like teachers never believed in her abilities and always expected her to fail. These students often carry shame about not finishing school, even though the system failed them, not the other way around. They might feel nervous about speaking up in class, worry that they’re “not smart enough,” or expect to be treated unfairly again.

Many of these students might have bad memories of school and might not trust teachers or feel confident about learning. The same old biases that led to unfair suspensions can still show up in adult classrooms too. Teachers might expect less from certain students or make assumptions about what adults with disabilities can do.

Many people in adult education programs are there because they were pushed out of school as children through these same unfair discipline practices. We need to recognize that when students struggle, it’s often because the system has failed them, not because they have failed. Only by addressing these deep-rooted issues can we give every student a real chance to succeed.

AFTER YOU READ:
1. According to the author, why is data about race, disability, and childhood suspension rates relevant to adult education?
2. Study and discuss the Social Determinants of Health chart. How do you think these social issues affect health?
3. If you were an adult student who got suspended a lot as a kid, how would you feel walking into your first adult education class?
4. How can teachers help adult students who have bad memories from school feel supported?

Andjela Kaur is a disability studies scholar currently working as an Assistant Teaching Professor at Penn State. Previously, she worked in adult education and community mental health settings as a teacher, vocational counselor, program manager, and ADA coordinator.

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A Woman with Bipolar Asks: Does Anyone Fully Understand?

Jacquelin Bliss

BEFORE YOU READ:
Manic depression is when you have periods of mania and periods of depression. Look at the chart on the right and discuss.

Growing up was tough. I could never figure out why I wasn’t like other kids. I wasn’t diagnosed until 10 years ago when I was in my early twenties. I have Bipolar type 1, which is sometimes known as manic depression. Mental illness can be very traumatic for a person and their family.

In school, I had trouble remembering what my teachers taught me. I got frustrated and this led to “flip-out episodes” and even self-harm. Then I felt mad at myself for not being able to control myself. I would talk down to myself and blame myself. Math was very hard for me. It got to the point where I would think about not living because I couldn’t understand math like other students could. It was really sad because all I ever wanted was to be “normal” like everybody else.

No one knew what was wrong with me. My parents thought I was just acting out. I went to numerous counselors. Doctors put me on and off medication. Some medication made me feel more depressed to the point where I stopped talking. Other medications made me feel hyper.

Finally, they found the right medications for me. Thank God! Today, if I miss taking my medication or I miss a session with my therapist, I am pretty much a train wreck. I can’t focus. I get distracted. My anxiety gets worse. My depression makes me feel like I cannot get out of bed.

Now, as an adult, I can pretty much handle my episodes or outbursts. Of course, I need to be on my medication. Some days are worse than others, but I get through them now just fine because I know my own red flags and triggers. Help and good support keeps me grounded.

However, to this day, I don’t think my family fully understands what it’s like to have a mental illness. But they do try and they do support me, and that’s what counts the most.

AFTER YOU READ:
1. According to the author, what helps her manage her mental health today?
2. What does the author mean when she says she is a train wreck? (See p. 9 for more information on metaphors and similes.)

Jacquelin Bliss is a student at Westbay Community Action Adult Education Academy in Warwick, RI. She loves to inspire people and be outgoing. She is a talented illustrator, and she would love to work as a clothing designer.

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Anxiety Should Not Stop Us

Briceida Garcia

BEFORE YOU READ:
What does it mean to manage a health condition? Do you or someone you know have a health condition to manage? How do you (or they) do it?

For me, anxiety is not easy. Sometimes I can’t think or I overthink. Sometimes I have the sensation that I am scratching myself. Sometimes I scratch until I hurt myself, leaving scars.

These days, I have been able to manage my anxiety well. I do breathing exercises to calm myself down a little. Another strategy I use to calm myself is to put a hair tie on my wrist. When I have the urge to scratch, I will pull at the hair tie instead. If I don’t have a hair tie, I will try to find a different activity to distract myself (playing with my baby, reading, watching television).

When I manage my anxiety, I can do more things. For example, I can do simple things like ask a teacher for help. I ask for help whenever I don’t understand what the teacher is saying. I also ask for the teacher to clarify what they are saying and repeating directions if necessary. I can do more activities with the other students in class. I worked on group projects and had group discussions with the other students.

Anxiety does not have to be a disability. If you have a class where the teachers support you, then you can still learn. If you do the work wrong or the work piles up, you should be able to ask for help. The teachers should be understanding.

AFTER YOU READ:
1. What specific strategies does Briceida use to manage her anxiety?
2. Read the story, “Anxiety Makes It Hard to Learn,” on pp. 22-23. What does Briceida have in common with the author of that story? What is different?
3. According to both authors, what can teachers and schools do to help students manage anxiety? Write a letter to your program director asking what accommodations the program has for students with anxiety.

Briceida Garcia is a student at the Adult High School Credit Diploma Program at Plainville Adult and Continuing Education in Plainville, Connecticut. In her spare time, she enjoys television shows, reading, and participating in school-based community events. When she’s not at school, she’s raising her beautiful daughter.

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Anxiety Makes It Hard to Learn

Tania Guadalupe García Ruiz

BEFORE YOU READ:
Note that feeling anxious (adjective) is different from having anxiety (noun). Anxiousness (noun) is usually a temporary state. For example, you feel anxious before you take a test. Anxiety is a deeper and longer-term and more intense experience. Have you ever felt anxious or had anxiety? If you have, describe it.

Anxiety Is a Real Problem
Sometimes society does not see anxiety as a real problem, but in my opinion, it is. Since I was a child, I have been very shy and introverted. It looked like I just wanted to be alone. But, in fact, I had anxiety. Having anxiety has made it hard for me to be a student. But I have been learning how to manage it.

Shy Child
Normally, kids are very active, but in my case, I never moved from my seat. I was a very quiet girl. When the teacher did “roll call,” it was hard for me to say, “Here.” My classmates did not see me as a “normal” child, so they often did not include me. This made it harder for me to try to talk to them. I developed the habit of not socializing.

Meeting Other Kids Like Me
In middle school, everything was different. There were more classmates. On the first day of school, I felt very alone. But then, I found classmates like me. They started to talk with me. Some of them were shy like me and had social anxiety. Others were extroverts. It helped me a lot to be around different kinds of kids.

In middle school, we needed to do group projects. It was good to work as a team because I began to feel that I was not alone. I felt supported and confident. However, when it was time to share our presentation with the class, I got very nervous.

Pounding Heart and Sweating Hands
I remember one presentation where I felt so much anxiety that I wanted to cry. I don’t know what happened because I was very prepared. I had studied hard, and I knew what to do. But it didn’t matter. As my team waited for our turn to present, I got more and more upset. I couldn’t remember what I was supposed to say. My heart was pounding, my hands were sweating, and my ears were not working. I couldn’t hear anything except a roaring noise in my head.

When it was my turn, I couldn’t remember anything, and I wanted to cry. So, I needed to ask the teacher to postpone my presentation. The teacher looked at me and tried to talk to me. She said it was fine. At the end of the class, she asked me what happened, and I told her. She was very understanding. She said she could give me another job to do, so I did not have to present in front of the class.

After class, my friends asked me what happened, and I told them. They were very compassionate with me. They helped me see how important it is to have people who support and help you.

I’ve Come a Long Way
Now, I still feel a little anxious when I need to speak in public, but I am doing much better. I learned to manage my anxiety by trusting myself and knowing I am prepared. If my mind goes blank and my heart races, I take slow breaths and remind myself it will pass. I focus on the present moment so I don’t get distracted. Even if I feel nervous, I know others may not notice. I know I will continue to improve. I am proud of my progress. I went from feeling too shy to say “here” when answering roll call, to being able to stand in front of others and give a presentation.

AFTER YOU READ:
1. In what ways has anxiety shown up in Tania’s life? What are some of her strategies for managing it?
2. If you feel anxious or have anxiety, how do you manage it? Collect your strategies and your classmates’ strategies in a Google doc or in a slideshow and share them with others.

Tania Guadalupe García Ruiz was a student at Ysleta Community Learning Center in El Paso, Texas. She graduated and was able to validate her college degree from Mexico. She now works at YCLC. Tania enjoys spending time with her family and her dog, who is part of the family too.

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My Disability is Invisible

Cindy López

BEFORE YOU READ:
1. What is an invisible disability? What do think are the consequences of having your disability be invisible?
2. Learn about fibromyalgia in the diagram below.

You Can’t See My Struggle
Sometimes, you can easily see that a person has a physical disability. But what about those of us who have invisible disabilities? People don’t realize what we are going through and how we are struggling to manage our disabilities.

Fibromyalgia changed my life in a negative way. Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition with many symptoms. Chronic pain, anxiety, depression, sleeping problems, fatigue, and learning difficulties are the most common symptoms.

I experience all of these symptoms, and so fibromyalgia has affected my education. Having a lot of pain makes me feel like I cannot concentrate when I am in class or doing my assignments. It also affects my short-term memory and makes it difficult to express my thoughts.

Sometimes I feel so tired that I want to give up. But I feel committed to my goals, so I have found alternative ways to continue studying. If I take online classes I try to make sure there are no distractions around me. When I do not remember something that the teacher explained, I go to Canvas and look at the notes. (Canvas is our online learning system.) I also use apps such as Google calendar that are very helpful to remember school assignments, and other activities. I always make sure to do all my homework carefully and on time. I try to get good grades. On the other hand, I try not to feel
stressed about sometimes getting a bad grade. It happens. I just have to keep going.

School systems should do more for students with disabilities. For example, the school should make sure that students know about the resources that the college has to support them. The school should communicate better about all of its health promotion activities. Also, the school could raise awareness that disabilities exist everywhere, even when you can’t see them. Although fibromyalgia isn’t visible, it is a disability too, and it can definitely change your life. However, it does not have to stop you from achieving your goals.

AFTER YOU READ:
1. What do you infer Cindy would like people to know about her?
2. According to Cindy, what should schools do to support students with disabilities?
3. What accommodations do you think schools should provide? Read the chart above and add your own ideas.

Cindy López is a 29-year-old Cuban native currently living in Sonoma County, California. She has been an ESL student Santa Rosa Junior College for over two years. Cindy graduated as a doctor in Medicine from the University of Matanzas in Cuba, and is now completing the required coursework to apply to a nursing program in the U.S. She is dedicated and persistent; she loves learning and inspiring others.

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