The Wichita school district has announced a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice over a complaint relating to discrimination against students based on race and disabilities.
The DOJ conducted an investigation of schools throughout the district from the fall of 2020 to the spring of 2023, reviewing a number of documents and talking with administrators, staff, parents and community advocates. A statement from the DOJ stated:
The department’s investigation revealed, among other things, that the district’s Black students were disciplined more frequently and more severely than white students who engaged in similar conduct and had similar backgrounds and disciplinary histories. This pattern was most evident when it came to subjective offenses such as insubordination, and was especially stark when it came to discipline of Black girls, whose behavior was repeatedly characterized using stereotypical terms like “attitude” or “drama.” In addition, the investigation concluded that the district inappropriately and repeatedly secluded and restrained students with disabilities and relegated those with the greatest behavioral needs to inferior facilities with inadequate services and support.”
“In addition, the department’s investigation concluded that the district inappropriately and repeatedly secluded and restrained students with disabilities, including for punitive reasons or in response to noncompliance with school rules and staff directives. During the period covered by the investigation, students with disabilities received more than 98% of the district’s roughly 3,000 restraints and seclusions. At least 44 students experienced 20 or more restraints and seclusions during the period covered by the investigation and one student was restrained or secluded at least 144 times, including 99 seclusions lasting over 15 hours in total. In the district’s schools and classrooms for students with disabilities — where the vast majority of seclusions and restraints occurred — the district either lacked student behavior interventions or failed to implement them and ensure their effectiveness. When the department visited the district’s special schools for students with behavioral disabilities, it found inferior facilities devoid of furniture, educational equipment and the kinds of decor commonly found in schools, and staff who could not meet the needs of students.”
Under the settlement, the school district will make revisions in its practices to prevent discrimination in the discipline of students and referral of students to law enforcement. The district will also end the use of seclusion and reform its restraint practices, improving its services to students with disabilities. The district will develop a new code of conduct that will be presented to the DOJ by October 15th.
The Wichita school board approved the settlement at a meeting Monday evening, and Superintendent Kelly Bielefeld said in a statement on the district’s web page, “We can and must create a more equitable school district by changing some of our practices and procedures.”
