Equity Matters
As in the United States as a whole, Massachusetts students who are Black, American Indian/Native Alaskan, multi-race, male, poor, have a disability, special needs, or LGBTQIA+[] are more likely to be removed from classrooms.[] This can be due to unconscious bias among educators. LGBTQIA+ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, asexual, and other sexual orientations and gender identities.
[VED27] Heath, A. (2016, November 11). It’s not your imagination: LGBTQ youth are disproportionately punished in school. GLAD. Retrieved April 29, 2022. https://www.glad.org/post/not-imagination-lgbtq-youth-disproportionately-punished-school/
[VED28] Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. (2021, December 2). 2020-21 student discipline data report – all offenses – all students. Retrieved April 27, 2022. https://profiles.doe.mass.edu/statereport/ssdr.aspx