Racial Gaps Seen In Hinsdale D-86: Report

DARIEN, IL – Hinsdale High School District 86 has racial disparities in discipline, support courses and a sense of "belongingness," among other things, a new study shows.

On Tuesday, the school board heard a report from Patrice Payne, the district's director of instructional equity.

According to the study, whites make up 63 percent of the student body, but consist of 40 percent of disciplinary cases. Blacks, meanwhile, consist of a disproportionate third of the cases, but only 8 percent of students, the study said.

Asians consist of 17 percent of the student body and represent 5 percent of the cases. Hispanics are 11 percent of students and 16 percent of cases.

Racial disparities can also be seen in those taking support courses such as reading. Whites make up 39 percent of students in reading support classes, far under their 63 percent share of the student body, according to the study.

By contrast, African Americans consist of a third of those in such courses, considerably more than their 8 percent share.

Payne said it was important that students aren't misidentified as needing support courses.

Such classes can come at a disadvantage for students who don't need such services, impeding opportunities such as college, she said.

"Students do not achieve success if they are not receiving grade-level content," she said.

Payne also presented numbers showing that white and Asian students are overrepresented among students taking Advanced Placement courses, while African Americans and Hispanics are underrepresented.

She pointed to a survey that showed 55 percent of District 86 students indicated they feel like they belong at their school.

But the numbers varied among racial groups – 60 percent for whites, 54 percent for Hispanics, 50 percent for Asians and 41 percent for African Americans.

Payne, who was hired last year, said it was important to provide students with a sense of "belongingness."

As it is, she said, education tends to be "very Eurocentric." Students don't feel they belong when they don't see themselves in the curriculum, she said. That's why education should consist of a variety of voices, including Greek mythology, biblical references and Native American stories of origin, she said.

"What we see in terms of student achievement doesn't necessarily indicate students' potential," she said.