Dive Brief:

• According to the Casper Star-Tribune, data from the 2012-13 school year reveals discrepancies in the punishment of minority students compared to their white peers.  
• By analyzing data from the state's department of education, the newspaper found that minority students receive far more out-of-school suspensions than white students.  
• What the paper found: American Indian students comprise 3% of Wyoming school populations but make up 10% of suspensions; Hispanic students comprise 13% of the school population but account for 15% of suspensions; White students comprise 80% of the school population but only make up 71% of the suspensions.  

Dive Insight:

White students are the only group that made up a larger percentage of the state's school population than their suspension share. While the trend of minority students receiving harsher punishments is clear from the report, and has been reported quite often this year, what isn't addressed is why this is occurring.

Wyoming Civil Liberties Union Executive Director Linda Burt is quick to point out that while minority students are receiving more punishments, there is no research finding that they misbehave more. Zeroing in on this begs us to question why minorities are being dealt with differently and more severely.