2018-04-13

p.2
Ready to
#DeleteFacebook?
Follow these 7 steps
Increased Youth Activism
May Not Correspond to
Voter Turnout
p.5
Statewide Campaign Launched to
Improve FL Children's Well-Being
contd on page 5

2. Perform a searching and fearless
moral inventory of your friends
Then, just to make sure, go into your
browser’s privacy settings, and delete
your cookies. But wait until you’ve
fully nuked Facebook, so the cookies
don’t respe zombies rising from
the
to reach you
6. Pull the plug
3. Figure out which apps and
services use Facebook as your login
mechanism, and change them
7. Don’t forget about Facebook
Messenger, Instagram, or WhatsApp
1. Download your
Facebook data
4. Stop ads from targeting you off
Facebook

Apr 13 - 19, 2018 | Orlando Advocate 3
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Black Students Marched Against Gun Violence In
Florida, But You Likely Didn’t Hear About It
Only a handful of national media outlets covered the protest.
Students at Miami Northwestern HS walk out to protest gun violence in the
neighborhood
Hundreds of students from a predominantly
black school in Miami’s Liberty City
neighborhood took to the streets earlier this
week to protest gun violence ― and national
media barely covered it.
On Tuesday, teens from Miami Northwestern
Senior High School marched
from their school’s campus to a housing
complex where four young people were
shot on Sunday. Kimson Green, a 17-yearold
sophomore at the school, and Rickey
Dixon, an 18-year-old alumnus, were killed.
Students chanted: “No justice. No peace. No
violence in the streets,” the Miami Herald
reported.
The shootings and subsequent protest in
Liberty City ― an area where gun violence
has been a recurring issue ― were just
hours away from Parkland, Florida, where
17 people were killed in a mass shooting at
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School
in February.
National media outlets extensively
covered the shooting in Parkland ― a predominantly
white, more affluent area ― and
have actively followed Parkland students’
activism and their March for Our Lives
movement since then. Yet only a handful
of outlets covered the Liberty City protest,
including The Associated Press, Teen Vogue
and Blavity (not HuffPost), even as local
media covered it heavily.
“It’s a racial thing,” 16-year-old student
Mi-Olda Faustin told the Miami Herald at
Tuesday’s protest. “If you’re white, you get
more publicity about these things.”
“Like Stoneman Douglas, if they can
… let their voices be heard, why can’t we
do the same and let our voices be heard?”
another unidentified student participating in
the protest told local NPR reporter Nadege
Green. “Why can’t we do the same thing?
It’s because we’re black? It’s because we’re
in the ghetto ... because we’re poor ... and
they’re richer? I don’t understand.”
Amid the public attention focused on
March for Our Lives’ student leaders, who
are largely white, some teens of color ― both
at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School
and beyond ― have spoken out about how
they are getting less recognition.
By Sarah Ruiz-Grossman
“We’re saying you don’t see much of
us at the forefront,” 17-year-old Stoneman
Douglas junior Mei-Ling Ho-Shing, who
is black, told HuffPost last week. She and a
group of other black students at the school
held a news conference late last month
to express that their voices weren’t being
sufficiently heard by the media or their
own peers.
Green ― who has long been covering
gun violence in the area and is also an
alumnus of Miami Northwestern ― tweeted
that national attention to the Parkland students’
movement likely helped the Liberty
City students’ march get even the level of
media and political attention that it did.
Local students have long been activating
around the issue of gun violence, she said,
but their previous marches got little to no
recognition.
It’s worth noting that the student leaders
of March for Our Lives have made a
significant effort to make their movement
inclusive and recognize other communities
hurt by gun violence. As the Miami Northwestern
march took place, several prominent
Parkland student activists tweeted their
support.

VAPING EPIDEMIC

6
Orlando Advocate | Apr 13 - 19, 2018
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Many Not Prepared for Life
After Retirement, Study Shows
By Trimmel Gomes
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - While retirement is a time
for people to relax and unwind, recent studies show it’s
become more stressful for many because of a lack of
financial planning. Studies by the Insured Retirement
Institute provide alarming new statistics that show that
42 percent of Baby Boomers and 40 percent of those
born in Generation X have yet to save anything for life
after retirement.
Cathy Weatherford, the institute’s president and
C-E-O, says saving begins with setting a goal.
“Always when we set goals, we do better towards
achieving them,” says Weatherford. “And so, thinking
about at what age you would want to retire, how much
money you would need, and then mapping out your
strategy.”
According to the institute, a lack of strategy could
turn into a struggle to pay for basic life expenses and
health care.
This is National Retirement Planning Week, sandwiched
inside Financial Literacy Month and close to Tax
Day on April 17. The intent is to put a focus on financial
needs after the work life.
The Insured Retirement Institute says learning how
to plan and save and utilizing a financial adviser are key
to being prepared. Weatherford says there is still time
for people in the late stages of their careers to start the
process.
“Today is the day, the best day to get started so that
you could prepare for a good, financially sound retirement,”
says Weatherford.
Weatherford says being financially smart, such as
paying off credit cards or downsizing on homes, can
reduce expenses that will pay off in the long run.
Statewide Campaign Launched to Improve
Florida Children’s Well-Being
By Trimmel Gomes
Children’s advocates announce a statewide campaign
to reverse Florida’s downward trend in child wellbeing.
(Trimmel Gomes)
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.
- Children’s advocates in
Florida say state officials
need to put just as much
effort into improving the
lives of families, as they
do promoting tourism or
the state’s business climate.
They say that lack of focus
is one reason Florida ranks
in the bottom 10 states for
child well-being.
The new Kids Count
Child Well-Being Index
ranks Florida’s 67 counties
on 16 indicators of
how kids fare in health,
economic, educational and
community factors. It shows
nearly 870,000 children, or
more than one in five, live
in poverty.
Roy Miller, president
and founder of the Children’s
Campaign, sees it as
proof that the state needs to
shine a bigger spotlight on
these issues to turn things
around.
“It says that Florida is
in crisis in terms of the
health and well-being of its
children,” says Miller. “And
we need new solutions, we
need new commitments
in order to move the ranking
of Florida in a positive
direction.”
The report shows modest
improvement statewide
for fewer students living in
poverty and more graduating
on time. More a dozen
organizations have launched
the “Made in Florida, 100
Percent for Civic Engagement”
campaign to get leaders
to use the report findings
and examine their current
policies.
Among the largest counties,
Miami-Dade ranked
62nd overall for families’
economic well-being. Broward
County ranked 45th,
Orange ranked 46th, and
Hillsborough 26th.
Cindy Arenberg Seltzer
is the president and CEO
of the Children’s Services
Council of Broward County.
She says the high cost of
living in bigger cities is one
factor affecting how parents
can care for their children.
“Our smaller counties
are doing better,” she says.
“Your larger counties are
struggling more, and a lot of
it is the economics.”
The report says 74
percent of Florida fourth
graders are not proficient
in English, and 78 percent
of eighth graders need help
with math. For child health,
it shows progress has stalled
in a couple of areas.
Norin Dollard, director
of Florida Kids Count, says
not all the results are bad,
and notes the problems can
be fixed.
“And it’s not that we
have not made improvements,
but other states have
made greater gains when it
comes to investing in their
kids,” says Dollard. “We’ve
made tremendous gains in
Florida in terms of getting
kids health insurance.”
Dollard says policymakers
can have an impact by
investing in kids. Florida’s
study was conducted by
researchers at the University
of South Florida’s College
of Behavioral and Community
Sciences, and funded in
part by the Annie E. Casey
Foundation.

April 13 - 19, 2018 | Orlando Advocate 7
Lifestyle
Reviewed by Amy Aiyegbusi
A J Ghent, hailing from
Fort Pierce, Florida, has music
literally running through his veins.
His great uncle, Willie Eason, is
the creator of the “sacred steel”
tradition—a style of pedal-steel
guitar playing that’s unique to certain
African American Pentecostal
churches—and his grandfather,
Henry Nelson, is the founder of
the “sacred steel” rhythmic guitar
style. With role models like these,
it’s no wonder Ghent wore out his
father’s sacred steel CDs by the
age of twelve. After high school, he
and his wife, singer MarLa, packed
up and moved to Atlanta, Georgia
where soon after Ghent began a
mentorship under the legendary
Colonel Bruce Hampton, one of
the original founders of Atlanta’s
Hampton Grease Band. Gaining
experience with Hampton’s band
set the stage for Ghent’s subsequent
career moves, including
being “true to himself” as Hampton
advised.
AJ Ghent
The Neo Blues Project
Ghent’s newest release, The
Neo Blues Project, is a study in just
that. The entire album is something
different altogether—a musical
fusion of blues, steel guitar, and
rock that takes art and skill to
master. But that’s something that
Ghent has spent his whole life
perfecting, along with his custom
built 8-string lap steel hybrids. The
offering weighs in at just six tracks,
but don’t let its size fool you. This
album packs a solid punch right
where it’s necessary to keep the
music in your head long after the
last chord fades.
On his rock anthem “Power,”
Ghent offers a track to fuel a revolution:
“I’m gonna wait it out, ‘til
my change comes / and I’m gonna
pray, it won’t be long / ‘cause I’ve
been tempted and I’ve been tried /
and I’m a soldier ‘til I die / so you
can bring it on, all your pain / you
know why? ‘cause it’s a revolution
comin’”
Combining his own style with
elements of rock guitarists like
Jimi Hendrix and Lenny Kravitz,
Ghent part-wails and part-steels his
way through each song. “Long List
Friend,” co-written with his wife, is
a blues ballad all of us can relate to
in our search for “The One.”
But if you are celebrating
the letting go of a former love,
check out the final track, “Gonna
Rock.” Its meaning and intent
are completely celebratory, to
say the least. “Wash Ya Hair” is a
fun, catchy tune that really brings
all of Ghent’s diverse talents of
vocalization and guitar-playing to
the forefront: “Shake ‘em off, wash
your hair, let it shine, Everywhere.”
Ghent’s compact project completes
its mission. The Neo Blues
Project entertains the senses, introduces
us to the full range of
Ghent’s talents, and gives us a
foot-tapping, air-slamming trip into
the world of blues rock in legendary
style. If this is Ghent being true
to himself, I personally can’t wait
for anything this talented artist has
to offer us.

April 13 - 19, 2018 | Orlando Advocate 8
Health & Wellness
Food
Spicy Chicken Sausage Ragout
Over Creamy Polenta
By dariuscooks
It’s a mouthful…literally.
Some of my best meal ideas only take about 20 minutes. Today is no exception and yes,
it’s another back pocket recipe that’ll save you loads of time. Not only is it quick cooking,
but it’s jam packed with loads of flavor. Get ready for your next weeknight obsession with
a recipe I’d like to call – Spicy Chicken Sausage Ragout.
1 pound of chicken Italian sausage, casings removed
1/2 cup of diced onion
1/2 cup of diced bell pepper
4 cloves of minced garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 teaspoons of tomato paste
1 cup of red wine
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 cup of fresh chopped cherry tomatoes
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
1/2 chicken bouillon cube
1 good pinch of garlic powder
1 good pinch of red pepper flakes
1 good pinch of dried Italian seasoning
1 good pinch of sugar
salt and pepper, to taste
fresh basil, to garnish
Start by sautéing the chicken sausage with the onions, bell peppers, and
garlic in olive oil. Season with a good pinch of salt and pepper. When the
sausage is just about cooked through, add in the tomato paste and let cook for
about 60 seconds. Then, add in the red wine and chicken bouillon. Cook for a
few moments until the wine has reduced by about half. Then, add in the fresh
thyme, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, dried Italian seasoning, and sugar.
Serve over creamy polenta. And be sure to garnish with chopped basil and
a good drizzle of olive oil!
*For the polenta, I just cooked it in chicken stock and then added mascarpone
cheese, heavy cream, and Pecorino Romano cheese. That’s it!
CELIBACY ENHANCED MY
PERSONAL GROWTH
Jasmine Danielle
We live in
a time when instant gratification
has become the
norm. From nuking our
food in the microwave to
making purchases at the
click of a button (is Amazon
Prime not the plug?).
We need things now and
if we can’t have what we
want immediately, we don’t
want it at all.
Abstaining from sex
isn’t for everyone, especially
those of us who have
experienced great sex at
any point in our lives. A
single sexual experience
can leave us believing it’s
the world’s greatest gift,
but just like all those things
we resort to for instant
gratification, we can’t truly
find happiness or a sense of
self-worth in those experiences.
In other words, that
pleasure that we get from
our sexual encounters is
only temporary, so we feel
great for a moment, but
what about long-term?
Celibacy is defined
as the state of abstaining
from any sexual relations.
If you’re thinking about
taking the plunge, there
are some things that you
should consider. First, consider
why it is you want
to take a shot at celibacy.
People abstain for a number
of reasons, some of
which can be spiritual or
for the sake of physical
and mental health. For me,
I had enough of meaningless
encounters and I
was also seeking spiritual
soundness. I thought the
challenge of refraining
from my norm would help
me achieve this spiritual
soundness and that I could
walk away feeling whole
again.
You should also consider
how eliminating sex
would affect your mind and
body. I did some “research”
to learn what studies said
about the physical and
mental effects of celibacy
because I was no expert.
Certain articles proved to
be pretty discouraging. Trying
to find articles online
that supported celibacy was
like trying to find an honest
person in Hollywood, and
a year later it still seems
like most articles I find are
anti-celibacy. Had I taken
those findings to heart and
aborted my mission to
celibacy, I would still be
an emotional wreck.
A few articles that I
read, coming from sensational
sources, highlight
the cons of going celibate.
They discuss how celibacy
has a negative effect on the
immune system, how it
can drive the libido down,
how it can lead to erectile
dysfunction in men and
how it can lead to a spike
in blood pressure. The few
sources I found in favor of
celibacy actually discuss
conflicting research and
place emphasis on the fact
that you will drastically
lower your risk of STDs
and UTIs. This year was the
first year I ever caught the
flu, and I rarely get sick, so
maybe there is some truth
to what I found through my
“instant research”.
You must also consider
how this choice will affect
your relationships.
This is a decision that you
must make for yourself,
but if you’re in a committed
relationship you may
want to discuss this with
your partner. The decision
was easy for me because
I wasn’t, and am not, in a
committed relationship, so
there was no one else to
consider. You can’t force
celibacy on your partner.
If you’re uncomfortable
having this discussion
with your partner, maybe
you should then consider
whether this person is truly
for you.
Finally, you can and
should consider an action
plan. The “taking it day-byday”
thing doesn’t really
work, especially if you lack
self-control; I know from
experience. This go-round
was not my first time declaring
myself celibate,
but it was the first time
that I consciously made an
effort to stick to my guns. I
opted out of functions and
situations that I knew had
the potential to put me in
tempting circumstances.
I cut off communication
with my current partner and
any potential partners (you
know, the folks I could only
see myself with physically
and not long-term). I also
made the decision to take
a break from dating until I
felt I was truly in tune with
my decision to abstain.
The sexual experience
is indeed a very natural
thing, but it does have
a deeper effect on us,
whether we like to admit
it or not. On one hand, sex
can be a stress reliever,
but on the other hand, the
experience (and state of the
physical relationship) can
lead to stress, anxiety, and
depression. My personal
experience tells me that I
made the right choice.

9
Beauty
ADULT ACNE: WHY THE
SUDDEN BREAKOUT?
Tia Muhammad
I personally have had a long
stint with clear skin. Most of my life
and even in teenage years I was zit
and worry-free without doing much
at all to my skin or considering what
I put into my body. Yet, there I stood
at the age of 27 with a face full of
acne, dark scars, and uncontrollable
blemishes. I couldn’t help but think,
what the hell happened?
Well, according to my research,
it’s a real condition and it’s called
Adult-Onset Acne. Frustrating and
extremely common, this type of
acne hits most women around their
30-50s. However, it can start around
the age of 23 but can also occur at
any age in people who have never
had spots before. Usually, it’s at a
time when women’s hormones are
fluctuating and going ramped, and
going well into menopause.
This imbalance in hormones
flourishes around our periods,
during child-bearing ages, pregnancy,
pre-menopause, and even
after discontinuing or starting birth
control pills.
For me, it all started around
a time I was on pain medications
after a major surgery to remove
fibroids. Not only was I exposed to
the factors of the hormonal changes
with the infliction to my uterus, but
I got double teamed when I was put
on medications for after-care and
then the stress from it all started to
settle in. With all those dynamics,
I was bound to become a cesspool
for acne.
According to the American
Academy of Dermatology, adultonset
acne affects nearly 20% of
women and it is largely caused by
genetics and hormones and not, as
myth would have it, through having
dirty skin and too much pizza. Even
after menopause women can still
suffer from acne.
To add on, the male hormone,
androgen, is linked to the condition
as well. What some don’t realize
is that the same hormone is also
produced by women too. When
a woman produces it in excessive
amounts during menopause,
estrogen levels can drop and so the
proportion of androgen rises.
This causes a build-up of dead
skin cells and increased oil production,
clogging up the hair follicles.
Bacteria moves in and the
skin erupts into pustules, nodules
(bumps) and cysts. Nodules that are
inflamed and push deeper into the
skin can be painful for weeks and
can definitely cause scarring.
So, what can you do?
Recovering from adult-onset
acne can be a very tough feat. A
year later, I am now acne-free but
the work has only begun. Although
my face is no longer pulsating from
pain, I now have to deal with what
was left behind, scaring.
Here are some things that helped
me achieve acne-free skin:
Switching your face wash. I
used to use the scrubs, the facial
cleansing brushes, and etc. But what
I found is that I was just irritating
and drying out my skin what those
things. Look at your face and take
notice of the areas in which the acne
is appearing.
I saw them mostly on my right
cheek and a few on my forehead.
The two places bacteria would build
up the most, from my cell phone
and headphones to the headwraps
I wore every night. These things
totally matter. So, I switched from
a salicylic acid face wash (which is
a chemical and anti-inflammatory
exfoliant) to a benzoyl peroxide
product that is antibacterial and has
antimicrobial functions. The switch
made all the difference.
Start using more natural products.
Instead of using the typical
toners found at my local drugstore, I
decided to use Apple Cider Vinegar.
After every wash, I took a cotton
ball of ACV and wiped upward on
my entire face. The smell is a little
harsh but you will feel thoroughly
clean afterward. Trust.
Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize!
This was the hardest part
to wrap my head around. If I’m
all oily and backed up, why in the
world would I add more oil to my
skin? The answer is simple. Your
skin needs the protection. After I
toned my face, I would moisturize
my face with Sweet Almond Oil and
then Aloe Vera Gel. Natural and a
humectant, this combination, your
skin will love.
Drink water and eat a lot more
veggies and fruits. Water and a
proper diet are necessary for that
glow you want. Try drinking at
least 8, 8oz. glasses of water a day
and start the day off with a veggie
and fruit smoothie– then off you go!
Finding a solution to your skin
problems might not come easy. It
took me an entire year to finally get
it right! The truth is, acne solutions
are not a one size fits all. You have to
experiment and go through trails to
find your own curing regimen. Just
know that you will eventually find it.
Faith
Four Tips to Encourage
Single Christian Women in Their
Work
I’d like to honor the single
Christian woman who is working
late tonight instead of being taken
out to dinner. (But, please keep
reading even if that’s not you. If
you’ve ever been disappointed
with God, I hope this encourages
you, too.)
THE LONGING FOR FAM-
ILY
A 38-year-old, single Christian
friend of mine told me recently
that she got a promotion.
The only problem, she said, is that
she’d rather be a stay-at-home
mom, “packing school lunches.”
This isn’t someone who’s
simply dreaming about the greener
grass on the other side of the
hill. This is a gal who has sought
to steward her talents for God’s
glory. She earned a graduate
degree and is in a job leveraging
her strengths and bringing
about great flourishing around
her—both in and outside of work.
But the natural longing for
family of many Christian women
like my friend is real—it’s Godgiven.
This is why stewarding
your vocation as a single Christian
woman can be confusing. As
you apply yourself and advance
in your career, it can feel like
you’re getting further away from
marriage and family. I’ve heard
women say:
I’m afraid that if I pursue my
work with vigor that it will signal
to God that I’m less interested in
marriage and family;
or,
I’m afraid that my Ph.D.
scares men away.
As someone who was in this
demographic for many years, I
wanted to share a few thoughts
about what I have learned along
the way.
1. CHOOSE TO BE FULLY
ALIVE.
Christian singles, and others
who similarly wait on God’s
timing for something, have a
choice to make. We can either
keep our hearts alive to the Lord,
or turn away from him and kill
Orlando Advocate | April 13 - 19, 2018
FOUR TIPS TO ENCOURAGE SINGLE
CHRISTIAN WOMEN IN THEIR WORK
by Institute for Faith, Work & Economics
our desire.
It’s comforting that scripture
recognizes the often-hard reality
of life this side of heaven—that
there is longing and disappointment:
Hope deferred makes the
heart sick, but a longing fulfilled
is a tree of life (Prov. 13:12).
What do women long for?
While women do value significance
and meaning in their work,
they also long for intimacy in
relationship.
Seeking intimacy with the
Lord has sustained me in the
“now, but not yet” aspect of life
and God’s kingdom. The Bible
instructs us to be honest and
pour out our hearts to the Lord
(Ps. 62:8). This way, we keep our
heart alive and its longings close
to the surface, though painful. As
we open our hearts to God and
his will, he can pour out his love
and give us both a vision and a
desire for what he is calling us
to do today.
An additional benefit of
choosing to be fully alive is
that it has a ripple effect on our
relationships, family, and even
our work.
2. BE FULLY FEMALE.
God has made us uniquely
male and female, in his image
(Genesis 1:27). The fact that he
has you in the office and not at
home nurturing children right
now is not a mistake. Not only are
you designed with specific talents
unique to you, your perspective as
a woman adds richness to a work
product that otherwise might only
have a male perspective.
While women have different
strengths, being fully feminine
may mean letting an empathetic,
nurturing side show through as
you interact with colleagues and
add your input to projects.
God has also designed many
women, like him, to be strong
protectors of the weak and vulnerable.
Author Carolyn Custis
James writes that the Hebrew
word for “helper” (ezer), used to
describe women in Genesis 2:18,
can be defined as “strong helper,”
even like a warrior. Without the
work of women, our society
would be a much different place.
3. KNOW GOD.
When years pass and longings
go unfulfilled, some single
women begin to lose enthusiasm
about growing their skills on the
job and lose faith in God’s loving
character.
In Jesus’ Parable of the Talents,
we learn how important it
is to put our faith in who God
really is. Many people learn from
this parable we are to invest and
grow our talents for God, not
“bury” them. This is true. But few
understand how it also teaches
that trusting in the true character
of God compels us to serve him
well. The servant who buried his
talent said,
”Master,’ he said, “I knew that
you are a hard man, harvesting
where you have not sown and
gathering where you have not
scattered seed. So I was afraid
and went out and hid your gold
in the ground” (Matt. 25:24-25).
The wicked servant buried his
talent because he didn’t trust in
the character of God. If we serve
a God of love, who gave his one
and only son on our behalf, can’t
we trust him with our hearts and
our vocation?
4. KNOW YOUR PURPOSE.
When we have a transcendent,
God-given purpose, everything
looks different. I’ve seen single
Christian women go from tears
and slumping in their chairs to sitting
up straight with hope in their
eyes when they are reminded of
their identity in Christ and their
purpose. Each one of us, no matter
our marital status, plays an
active role through our work in
God’s master plan of restoration
through Jesus Christ.
This is where churches can do
better in coming alongside single
women, not just to comfort and
encourage them as they live a
single life, but to challenge them
in their calling.
The topic of Christian singleness
and vocation, like life’s most
pressing and difficult questions,
deserves a rich theology. Whether
we’re packing lunches or sitting
at an office computer, we owe it
to ourselves to wrestle with the
Lord and dig into scripture to
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10
Orlando Advocate | Apr 13 - 19, 2018
In Both Rich And Poor Schools, Black
Students Face Harsher Punishments
A new government watchdog report shows how black students
and students with disabilities are punished more severely.
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MAY 11 – 13
A nonpartisan government watchdog
agency released a report Wednesday outlining
severe disparities between how white
students and students of color are disciplined
― the same day Education Secretary Betsy
DeVos met with groups to discuss possibly
rescinding Obama-era guidance designed to
reduce these inequities.
The Government Accountability Office
report, which was requested by Reps. Bobby
Scott (D-Va.) and Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.),
comes as civil rights leaders are fighting
tooth and nail to save this guidance. The 2014
guidance calls on schools to reduce their
reliance on harsh disciplinary practices like
suspensions and expulsions. It also warns
schools they could run afoul of federal law
if certain groups of students are disproportionately
punished.
The Education Department data analyzed
in this report is from the 2013-2014 school
year, and reveals deep discipline disparities
across student groups ― the very problem
the guidance is intended to address. Independent
of school poverty level, type of public
school or type of disciplinary action, boys,
students with disabilities, and black students
are being punished at far higher rates than
other students. For black students, these
inequities start as early as preschool.
This is the first such analysis to explicitly
compare schools at different poverty levels.
In high-poverty schools, black students are
overrepresented among students who receive
suspensions by 25 percentage points, and in
more affluent schools, they are overrepresented
by 12 points, the data shows. Students
with disabilities face similar problems. In
affluent schools, students with disabilities are
overrepresented among students who receive
suspensions by 20 points, while in low-income
schools, they are overrepresented by
nearly 11 points.
Notably, some disability groups claim
they were left out of Wednesday’s discussions
with DeVos on the disciplinary guidance.
Two advocacy groups told HuffPost
they asked for an invitation to the summit
but were either rebuffed or ignored. Spokespeople
for the Education Department did not
respond to HuffPost’s request for comment
on the matter.
Even though black students only make up
about 16 percent of public school students,
they account for nearly 40 percent of students
who are suspended from school, the report
By Rebecca Klein
says. A similar pattern exists for students
with disabilities, and for male students in
general. Students with disabilities make up
about 12 percent of public school students,
but account for a quarter of those who are
suspended, referred to outside law enforcement
or arrested at school.
“The analysis shows that students of
color suffer harsher discipline for lesser
offenses than their white peers and that
racial bias is a driver of discipline disparities,”
Scott said in a statement. “This report
underscores the need to combat these gross
disparities by strengthening, not rescinding,
the 2014 Discipline Guidance Package,
which recommends specific strategies to
reduce the disparities without jeopardizing
school safety.”
Proponents of the Obama-era guidance
say that having the federal government voice
its priorities in this area is an important step
in keeping students safe. Indeed, harsh school
discipline can have far-reaching effects on a
student’s life. Students who face suspensions
are more likely to drop out of school or
eventually enter the criminal justice system.
Advocates say the guidance is designed to
help stymie this cycle.
But critics say the pressure to reduce
reliance on suspensions has meant keeping
disruptive or dangerous students in the
classroom, thereby posing a threat to other
students and staff members.
One critic of the guidance, a mother who
met with DeVos on Wednesday, previously
said she has watched her children’s school
district become more relaxed in discipline.
“Whatever intentions were set forth in
the guidance, the response to the guidance
has been kind of knee-jerk in nature that
has ended up hurting all of the children,”
said Nicole Landers of Baltimore County
when asked about her general feelings on
the guidance. “It takes away the rights from
the victimized students, as the offending
students are left in the classroom to avoid
suspensions.”
However, the GAO report shows that national
suspension rates had already begun to
fall before the guidance was implemented.
The Education Department has said there
is no specific timeline for when a decision
will be made on whether to keep the guidance.
The department did not respond to a
request for comment on the guidance.
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