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Even as suspensions fall, Memphis students are being kicked out of school longer, data shows is an important article from Chalkbeat, and the money quote is in the first line:

 

By focusing on reducing suspensions, school districts can hide the fact that, instead, they are just expelling more students (or calling suspensions by other names).

If we’re being driven by data, instead of informed by it, we can have blinders on, and this is just one of many examples of that mistake in education. You can see a lot more at The Best Resources Showing Why We Need To Be “Data-Informed” & Not “Data-Driven.”

This particular case also illustrates the dangers of focusing on making goals of reducing suspensions a priority if you don’t – at the same time – emphasize the creation of a school and district culture of restorative practices (see The Best Resources For Learning About Restorative Practices – Help Me Find More).