Human rights commissioner to address student discipline at Rochester schools

Minnesota Human Rights Commissioner Kevin Lindsey will meet Thursday evening with Rochester parents who are concerned about the school district's approach to student discipline.

The human rights department has been working with school districts with high suspension rates because suspensions disproportionately affect students of color and students with disabilities.

Lindsey said his department found that suspension rates went up 20 percent in the Rochester Public School district between the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 school years, and disparities for students of color and students with disabilities grew. The Minnesota Department of Education does not yet have data for this past school year.

"What we've heard from school officials is that they believe the steps they have undertaken are having some success," Lindsey said. "The data suggests otherwise."

The Rochester district has an agreement with the federal government to address suspension rates. In a statement, the district said it's proud of its ongoing efforts to reduce suspensions, and notes that suspensions are down since the 2016-2017 school year. A recent report to the school board showed that referrals to the principal's office have declined sharply since the 2016-2017 school year.

Create a More Connected Minnesota

MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.