The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights has concluded its investigation into Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools (WS/FCS) in North Carolina, addressing racial disparities in discipline. The investigation, conducted for the 2022-23 school year, found that African-American students faced more frequent and harsher disciplinary measures than their white peers.
According to the report, African-American students in WS/FCS were more likely to be suspended for first-time offenses compared to white students. The data also revealed that African-American students received longer suspension periods for first offenses related to fighting. Furthermore, as of March 2023, African-American students constituted 29% of the district's student population but received 57.2% of all in-school or out-of-school suspensions. In contrast, white students made up 34% of the student population but accounted for just 14.2% of disciplinary actions.
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon expressed her concerns regarding the findings and stated, "Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools has agreed today to take important additional steps to ensure it administers student discipline without discrimination on the basis of race. I look forward to ongoing work with this district as it offers all its students the nondiscriminatory learning environment federal law requires."
To address these disparities, WS/FCS has committed to several actions in line with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. These actions include reviewing the existing discipline code, providing continuous training for administrators and staff, and gathering accurate disciplinary data. The district has also pledged to collaborate with local law enforcement agencies on School Resource Officer data collection, training, and monitoring, among other steps.
The resolution of this compliance review is an important step towards creating a more equitable and inclusive learning environment for all students in Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools.
