Providence School Board President Keith Oliveira is asking to see the make-up of the students not participating in graduation activities at Nathan Bishop, following revelations by parents that up to a third of the eighth grade class won't be eligible due to school disciplinary rules.
"I'd like to see the demographics of these students," said Oliveira on Tuesday. "We want to do research as to the cause and criteria for why this is the case. I don't have inside information, these are things decided at the building. Schools have their own traditions, and I wasn't aware of this until now."
Last week, school leadership had initially cancelled traditional graduation ceremonies and instead scheduled an in-school barbecue (which has since been reversed) -- for students who had signed an academic and citizenship contract called the "Cougar Code." Parents said up to a third of the class -- 100 students -- did not meet the standards. Nathan Bishop, located on Providence's East Side, received a $35 million rehab that was completed in 2009.
"We don't have demographic information on the students that are excluded from [graduation]," said Providence Public School Department Communications Director Christina O'Reilly. "Middle schools have these types of behavioral contracts, and [PPSD] stands by the schools as to the enforcement of the contracts."
Last month, Oliveira along with stakeholders unveiled the "Males of Color" initiative, to bring to light issues of disparities for boys of color, who graduate at lower rates, participate less in AP courses and prep tests, are suspended from school at different rates than white counterparts, and achieve at lesser levels than girls.
"What I've heard does concern me," said Oliveira of Nathan Bishop's graduation picture. "I want to look at the disparate impacts of the outcome of certain decisions, to cause us to look beyond what the data is telling us, and to be asking questions we need answers to."
Suspensions, Discipline Questioned
According to the Rhode Island Department of Education's InfoWorks data reporting, Nathan Bishops's rate of suspension was 142 for every 100 students -- more than three times the state average of 37 per 100 students for the 2013-2014 school year -- for a student body that is 75% non-white.
"Nathan Bishop’s high suspension rate is certainly cause for concern and warrants a closer look at how disciplinary issues are being handled by administrators," said Steve Brown with the RI ACLU, who in May released a report that showed that racial disparities in suspensions statewide was the highest its been at in a decade. "With 746 students and 461 out-of-school suspensions during the last school year, a large portion of Nathan Bishop’s student body has been removed from the classroom and sent home, likely for behavior that could have been addressed in other ways."
"With suspensions carrying a potential lifetime of consequences, they should be issued as a last, not first, resort. Exacerbating these concerns is the racial disparity of the school's suspensions," continued Brown. "Although nearly the same number of black and white students attend Nathan Bishop, black students are suspended at rates 1.40 times higher than expected, while white children are suspended just 0.33 times what is expected."
Brown said he questioned the graduation criteria put forth by Nathan Bishop and schools.
"Absent special circumstances, students who qualify for graduation should be entitled to participate in their graduation ceremony," said Brown. "Superimposing additional broad codes of conduct as a qualification for participation unnecessarily turns what should be a day of celebration into one of disappointment for many students and their families."
Oliveira said the investigation into Nathan Bishop graduation numbers would enable the school board to take a "look at issues of equity."
"The whole purpose behind the Males of Color initiative is to look at disparate impacts, to see if there are patterns or practices that are discriminatory, and what is the criteria to determine how policies are crafted," said Oliveira.
Oliveira noted that the initiative would use rolling out a comprehensive policy plan this fall.
"We will be instituting is a policy of addressing institutionalized racial inequalities," said Oliveira. "And we'll be looking at the patterns behind the data, in order to develop that policy."
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Jacqueline M. Walsh School for the Performing and Visual Arts
2013 Rank: #23
Enrollment: 167
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William M. Davies Career and Technical High School
2013 Rank: #29
Enrollment: 833
Mascot: Patriots
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Claim to Fame: Janice Anderson (Assistant Production Manager of Cirque de Soleil), Tom Cavanagh (Forward, Worcester Sharks), Sara DeCosta (Goalie, 1998 and 2002 U.S. Women’s Olympic Hockey Team),Tony Petrarca (Chief Meteorologist, WPRI-TV), Brian Shanley (President of Providence College), David Petrarca (Director whose work has included Big Love, True Blood, and Hung for HBO; over 40 world premieres including Marvin’s Room on Broadway and West End, Fuddy Meers in NYC, and A Year With Frog and Toad on Broadway).
Claim to Fame: Students have the opportunity to bask in the spotlight in the Husky News Network, a student news organization where students can serve as anchors, camera men, and content writers.
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