Racial Gap In Lyons Township High's Discipline: Report

LA GRANGE, IL – Lyons Township High School remains near the top of the state's list for its racial disparity in disciplining students, the school reported Thursday.

For six of the last eight years, the school has been in the top 20 percent of districts with racially disproportionate numbers of suspensions and expulsions.

Last school year, the school ranked 33rd out of 441 school districts for its racial disparity. That put it in the top 8 percent.

On Monday, the school board plans to vote on the administration's recommended improvement plan. The state requires such a plan for schools in the top 20 percent.

Last school year, 29 white students at Lyons Township High School were suspended, while 61 students of color received the same punishment, according to the report.

Students of color make up a third of the student body, but two-thirds of suspensions.

Last school year, Lyons Township High reported that 20 were involved in incidents of violence without physical injury. They consisted of a dozen Hispanics, five whites, one African American and two of two or more races, the school said.

The school also reported nine students were responsible for fights with injuries. Three whites, three African Americans, two Hispanics and one of two or more races were involved, according to the report.

The school listed "implicit bias" training as among the steps it is taking to improve its racial disparity numbers. It said it has provided such training to all administrators and newly hired staff.

"We believe that bias training is an effective part of a comprehensive plan to reduce racial disproportionality within discipline practices, as well as all other instructional/educational practices," the school said in its report.

For this school year, the district is planning implicit bias training for all employees.

In 2022, Superintendent Brian Waterman acknowledged the school failed to turn in a state-mandated improvement plan in 2018. He revealed that information after repeated questions from school board members.

In 2018, Tim Kilrea was superintendent, while Waterman was the school's principal. Waterman took the helm in the summer of 2021.