An important read, especially for educators and especially given the current circumstances of the United State Education system.

This book is a MUST read for ALL educators! There are serious issues within our education system that cause harm to our Black and other marginalized students. In today´s climate where CRT and DEI are under a microscope which purposely twist and turn our history to highlight White ¨savior" it is truly up to the educators to ensure that our Black, marginalized, and underrepresented students feel safe and have a place in our classrooms. I am a firm believer in the notion that if we know better, we must DO better and this book is truly a HOW TO to do better for all our students. I cannot wait to get my hands on a hard copy of this book!

In Suspended Education: School Punishment and the Legacy of Racial Injustice, Aaron Kupchik, a Professor of Sociology and Criminal Justice at the University of Delaware, offers a compelling examination of the historical and systemic factors contributing to the disproportionate suspension rates among Black and brown students in American public schools. Scheduled for release on March 18, 2025, this work delves into the roots of exclusionary disciplinary practices and their enduring impact on educational equity.

Kupchik traces the escalation of suspension rates back to the aftermath of the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision, revealing how suspensions became a tool for resisting desegregation by removing Black students from newly integrated schools. Through meticulous statistical analysis and in-depth case studies from schools in Massachusetts and Delaware, he demonstrates a direct correlation between historical desegregation battles and current disciplinary disparities. This historical context sheds light on how past resistance to integration has perpetuated racial biases in school punishment systems.

The book also critiques the efficacy of suspensions as a disciplinary measure, arguing that they disrupt students' education without effectively addressing behavioral issues. Kupchik emphasizes that such practices not only harm the students removed from the classroom but also negatively impact their families and the broader school community. By highlighting the legacy of racial injustice embedded in these disciplinary actions, he calls for a reevaluation of current policies and advocates for more equitable and supportive approaches to student behavior.

Suspended Education is a significant contribution to the discourse on educational inequality, offering a nuanced understanding of how historical injustices continue to shape contemporary school discipline practices. Kupchik's work challenges educators, policymakers, and readers to confront the systemic issues at the heart of school punishment and to seek transformative solutions that promote fairness and inclusivity in education.

This is a thorough, very well-researched dive into the racialized history and present of school punishments, especially those that remove students from the classroom. Using multiple case studies, he makes a compelling case. I do wish he would have offered some sort of action steps or alternatives though.

I feel like now more than ever it's so important to have books life these accessible. It's obviously not the easiest topic to cover or dive into, but it's worth the time to educate on our past to better our future.

Unfortunately I won't be providing feedback for this book as it's in a format I cannot access. I didn't realize I couldn't send it to my Kindle.

I hope to pick it up from my library once it's published.

Definitely an important and informational book. Read on my phone so it took me ages to get through (ugh) but definitely fitting with my interest of education reform lately. Recommend if you're very interested in the topic but general readers might find it dry. It was an ok read but not one that I feel I would read again or buy for my reference.