In today's evolved society, we'd all like to believe that racial bias does not play a role in K-12 education. Unfortunately, these biases — whether conscious or subconscious —continue to affect students daily. Sometimes this manifests in ways that are harmful not only to their sense of inclusion, but to their entire educational future. 

An example of this occurred in New Jersey in March 2023, when a high school student named Sania Anderson was suspended after her participation in a cafeteria fight. The suspension, originally meant to be eight days, ended up being indefinite. The student's mother, Naimah Howard, has argued that the severity of the discipline is due to her daughter being Black. 

If you feel your student is facing unreasonable discipline based on their race, do not hesitate to contact the Lento Law Firm's Education Law Team to discuss your case. Call us at 888-535-3686 or fill out our online contact form. 

A New Jersey Legal Battle 

The reason the school district gave for extending Anderson's suspension was that the fight was allegedly “egregious.” The district wanted to assess the student's risk profile by having her undergo “an evaluation to determine if such misconduct arises from a disability” and cited that they felt Anderson had difficulty controlling her emotions. Howard has refused this request and contended that this would not be happening if her daughter was not Black. 

An assault charge against Anderson was cleared by a Family Court judge shortly following the event. Now that it's expunged, the only thing holding Anderson back from returning to school is the ongoing legal battle between Howard and the school district. The case has drawn interest from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights, who are investigating the district for potential Title VI violations. 

Discriminatory Discipline 

This isn't the first time Title VI has been brought up in recent years. New Jersey alone has nearly a dozen current cases that accuse schools of discriminatory discipline — and it's not only violence and assault-based accusations that are at risk for harsher, racially biased punishment. Any alleged disciplinary action in high schools could theoretically cause a non-white student to receive consequences that are disproportionate when compared to their white peers. 

According to data from the New Jersey Department of Education, 8.9 percent of Black students were suspended during the 2018-2019 school year compared to just 2.7 percent of white students. With discrepancies that extreme, it's easy to see why some parents are taking the issue to the courts. Nothing motivates schools to treat students better than legal pressure. 

Our Education Law Team Is Available to Help 

The Lento Law Firm's Education Law Team is experienced in Title VI matters and has represented countless students engaged in school disciplinary battles. Whether your student is in New Jersey or elsewhere, our firm works nationwide to bring students the resolutions they deserve. For a consultation regarding your case, contact us at 888-535-3686 or via our automated online form.