By Dr. Lamont Ali Francies, PPSC
December 28, 2020
The Antioch Unified School District is an organization that has been under scrutiny in the recent years for failing to sufficiently address its many racial disparities. AUSD has been sued several times by the NAACP over the last five years for its discipline disproportionality. Did you know that African Americans students in AUSD are three times as likely to be suspended than Whites students? Did you know that 48.5% of all students who are suspended in AUSD will be African American? Below are statics that give us a snapshot of African American student progress in AUSD.
Antioch Unified School District:
African American Teachers: 7.06% / White Teachers: 73.17%
African American Administrators: 27.14% / White Administrators: 52.86%
Student Population:
African American Students 25.5% / White Students 12.7%
Suspension Rate:
African American Students: 16.8% / White Students 5.6%
Antioch High School Suspension Rate:
African American Students: 20.2% / White Students: 6.1%
Total Suspensions ( Antioch High School):
African American Students: 173 / White Students: 30
Deer Valley High School Suspension Rate:
African American Students: 23% / White Students: 4.0%
Total Suspensions ( Deer Valley High School)
African American Students: 340 / White Students: 23
Info from California Department of Education (Data Quest 2018-19)
Enough is enough. It's time for change. These outcomes are totally unacceptable and do not reflect the brilliance of African American student achievement.
What can we do?
Vote for school board candidates that support change in AUSD cabinet leadership.
Publicly reject appointed Black district personnel who serve as community covers thus enabling the continuity of institutional racist policies.
Hold the district cabinet accountable by calling out the names of educators who play politics at the expense of black educational progress.
Home school your child or send them to a private school where diversity is not only preached but it is practiced. (Remember education is not just an expense, but an investment).
Speak up and speak out! (If you feel devalued or disregarded by district officials notify the East County North Star or East County NAACP Educational Chair Mr. Willie Mims.).
Do not believe district propaganda, do your research.
Intervention programs for African Americans students are great, but remember to check for deliverables. Many times diversity programs serve as a cover to hide racial disproportionalities. We need a change, but it must start with us. Refuse to accept second class citizenship in your child’s school district. “Black Minds Matter”… Dr. Francies is the Senior Pastor of the Delta Bay Church of Christ in Antioch, CA & is a credentialed counselor and administrator in East County Schools Contributing Writer
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