Since schools receive their funding based on butts in seats, avoiding suspensions for bad behavior is in their financial interest. Throwing race into it is a way of sugarcoating the resulting chaos. Parents of kids who know how to behave and want to learn need to get their kids educated elsewhere since Portland and its teachers have declared that itheir prime concern is for the kids who disrupt the class.
As for “Students receiving special education services also bear the burden of disproportionate discipline.” This is nonsense. Special Ed students have IEPs (Individualized Educational Programs) which makes them virtually immune to any serious discipline without a semi-legal procedure where attorneys can be present. Special Ed kids are by federal law guaranteed an education, unlike say normal kids in the district.
SPECIAL ED KIDS ARE ALSO KEPT IN SCHOOL UNTIL AGE 22.