The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights recently announced its plans to investigate the NAACP’s allegations that Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) discriminates against African-American children when disciplining students.
Last year, the Anne Arundel County branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) claimed that African-American students were and disproportionately suspended or expelled by AACPS. In 2004, the NAACP also filed a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights, establishing a “” plan to close the achievement gap between African-American and white children in the county.
The Office of Civil Rights' decision to investigate the claims were announced recently, according to The Baltimore Sun.
Carl O. Snowden, director for civil rights in the state Office of the Attorney General, was involved in the 2004 complaint and told The Sun, “Eight years later, the numbers haven’t gone down. This particular new complaint … will hopefully provide some leadership around this issue.”
AACPS spokesman Bob Mosier agreed that the process hasn’t gone as quickly as Superintendent Kevin Maxwell would have liked.
“[Maxwell] has been very honest about the fact that while there’s been progress, it has not been good enough and at a pace that he and others would like,” Mosier told Patch. “It’s not an easy ship to right to be perfectly honest.”
Mosier said AACPS has been “looking very closely” at the claims ever since the NAACP first approached the school system, even before the Office of Civil Rights announced its own investigation.
“Over the last year or so we’ve really taken a close look and are still digging into discipline statistics and looking at what discipline was handed out and what were the factors involved,” Mosier said. “That’s what we’re trying to get at … not only the ‘what’ but the ‘why.’”
Anne Arundel NAACP President Jacqueline Boone Allsup told The Sun that she hopes the investigation establishes concrete programs to prevent discrimination in the future.
Mosier said the school system is still investigating and he expects to release findings later this year.
@Brian, we are definately rethinking our approach likened to what you spke of above. As I said before, I am not saying its the best program and that it's being done totally right but I support it and only want to see it better.
I truly feel that your heart is in this issue. I hope that we can find a way to get our community to come back together and work on making this a program that includes the boys at that school that want to be included. One idea is a note going home to parents explaining that current month topics and a permission slip allowing their boy to attend. Since they are missing instruction time I think it should be approved by a parent first. Another option is put it on the same afternoons as the clubs meet. The buses provide afternoon transporation. I think disclosure is the best route from this point forward. Thank you.
" It is baffling to me when we have black groups it is wrong, white people have the KKK and the skin heads!! " PLEASE - That is the most racist remark I have ever heard. Look in the mirror Latrice.
Also, the fight that sparked from other race children didnt start with him as the agressor but lead to his suspension because it was involving him and he did defend himself! I'm also sadden that once again it is a stigma here that all the 'African-American' children are not "disciplined properly at youth so they are problems in school". I'm sadden by the fact that blacks have to have special programs and such to create unity. I also find it disturbing that after all these years we are still pigeon holed as the 'daddy less, anger issues, ignorant and the like!' I'm tired of that foolishness. We are not the minority anymore but our mindset as well as others towards us has not changed. Sigh
1-About the African American boys club only. If there were a muslims only group would the school allow it or investigate it for terrorist ties? And if there can be a group like this that blatantly discriminates against all but african americans why aren't the boy scouts allowed on school properties because when they do not believe in the homosexual agenda? 2-Having been involved in a situation where the Justice Department was investigating Cheltenham Youth Facility for Civil Rights Violations it amaxed me that even after being found culpable (guilty for those not versed in legalize) on literally hundresd of violations the Department of Juvenile Services (Dept. of uv. Justice at the time) was allowed to enter into a consent decree where they simply promised not to get caught again. there is little doubt in my mind that the same will happen here. These investigations are public eyewash and go nowhere. What is wrong with the principal at this school that they would allow this type of discrimination and why isn't anyone shooting about it to the school board? Racism is racism whether it be by whites or blacks. And to Carol Nida - 'whites have the KKK' - you need to get some help concerning race relations. I'm white and I would never support the KKK's agenda.