Black girls in public schools face disproportionately higher and more severe disciplinary actions compared to their peers from other racial backgrounds, according to a new report by a congressional watchdog, set to be released Thursday.
The report, which was exclusively shared with NPR, took nearly 18 months to compile. It was initiated following a request by several Democratic lawmakers, including Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and later Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, who asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate.
The findings provide an unprecedented look into the stark disciplinary disparities Black girls encounter in U.S. public schools—often for behaviors similar to those of other students.
The GAO report revealed that in K-12 public schools, Black girls experienced the highest rates of “exclusionary discipline,” which includes suspensions and expulsions. During the 2017-18 school year, Black girls made up nearly half of these disciplinary actions, despite accounting for only 15% of the female student population.
![In January at Curlew Creek Elementary School, tutor Susan Cohen from the Read Across Pinellas program assists first grader Za’mir Maceachron with a reading lesson. The Pinellas County school district has launched similar initiatives aimed at closing the achievement gap among its students. [DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times]](https://blkpoliticsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/eds-75x75.png)
