Durham Public Schools wanted to reduce suspensions. Instead they’re soaring

"DURHAM --- Principals at Durham Public Schools handed down 42 percent more short-term suspensions during the 2016-17 school year than they did the previous year. At some schools suspensions more than doubled.

The number of short-term suspensions, those lasting fewer than 10 days, increased for all but six of the school district’s 23 middle and high schools. Meanwhile 17 of 30 elementary schools saw increases. In all, 34 of 53 schools saw more suspensions.

But it was in the high schools where the increases were most dramatic.

At Northern High School, for example, there were 621 short-term suspensions last school year, which was 419 more than the 202 suspensions the previous year — a 207 percent increase, according to a preliminary suspension report now posted on the district’s website.

The 621 suspensions were given to 276 students, the equivalent of 18 percent of the school’s students..."

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