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For years black parents have quietly seethed about stories like Russell's. Now civil rights groups have given those silent suspicions a recognizable name: racial profiling. They contend that not unlike police who stop people on the basis of race, teachers and school officials discipline black students more often - and more harshly - than whites. The result: black students are more likely to slip behind in their studies and abandon school altogether - if they're not kicked out first.

I used to teach at a large metropolitan high school. The Superintendent, an African-American man who had the respect of most everyone in the district, had convened an assembly of the high school student body one day to talk about discipline and the problems that plagued that particular building.

This is a man who demands attention when he walks into a room. Standing well over six feet tall, he is always well-dressed, and always prepared when he has a presentation to make.

I know a good part of the student body didn't expect what he was about to report. He had studied both the disciplinary and the academic statistics from the previous semester, and even had a PowerPoint presentation prepared. All the data pointed that a majority of the disciplinary problems in the school involved African-American students, and poor grades and academic performance were closely tied to the same students. At that time, Black students represented somewhere between 10 and 30 percent of the entire student body.

He did not make a big deal of it, other than point out the statistics, and the fact that statistics do not lie. He made it clear that certain students needed to straighten up. It was an interesting assembly, to say the least.

Re your post #60 -- He did not make a big deal of it, other than point out the statistics, and the fact that statistics do not lie. He made it clear that certain students needed to straighten up. It was an interesting assembly, to say the least.

Very interesting post, STC. Thanks.

I learned a similiar lesson when I taught in a different school, with middle school kids who had not done well on the state reading tests. I actually decided to devote a class to explaining to them, on their level of comprehension, the statistics about reading, tests, jail inmates (hs drop outs), etc. I thought this might not work, and they would be bored and fall asleep, but, to my surprise, they were fascinated by this bigger picture, showing them why they were in my class, and why it was in fact important for them to become better readers.

I was stunned when they started asking me questions after I explained where states were in reading scores (now they wanted to know exactly where FL was and was FL improving?) etc. It was a real eye-opener, to know that you can share with students the larger picture, beyond their classroom, and bring all back to their own individual lives -- and, they "get it." They really do. Thanks again for your post.