Investigation finds AZ students of color are disproportionately suspended for missing school
Download mp3 (10.19 MB)There's a new investigation into Arizona schools, and a controversial practice that some experts say only hurts students.
Schools in our state are punishing students who miss school by forcing them to miss more.
The Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting (AZCIR) and the Hechinger Report found that these account for more than half of all in-school suspensions in some districts in the state. It’s the definition of when the punishment is the same as the crime, and reporters Maria Polletta and Tara García Mathewson found it disproportionately affects students of color.
Polletta covers education for AZCIR.
The Show spoke with her to learn about the team's findings.
Katie Campbell/KJZZ
Maria Polletta in the KJZZ studio in 2019.
