This makes it difficult to tell what is really going on. Even when the data is collected, there can be inconsistencies. For example, if you ask for discipline data in San Diego, the racial categories are different than the categories used in San Francisco. What's more, the racial categories for discipline used in both of these school districts differs from the racial categories for student enrollment used by the state of California. This makes cross-district comparisons difficult.
Some school districts use different terminology to describe their disciplinary actions.
With heightened public awareness and scrutiny of school safety issues, zero tolerance policies, and actual and perceived inequities in school disciplinary actions, it is critical that all school districts in the U.S. have sufficient information to assess the effectiveness and fairness of its disciplinary policies and practices. The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights should initiate a full investigation of racial disparities related to zero tolerance policies. Current anecdotal and statistical evidence, though incomplete, provides ample indicators of racial inequality to warrant further study. The Commission should support comprehensive, consistent, and centralized school discipline reporting. The Commission should urge Congress and the U.S. Department of Education to require all schools to fully report all suspensions and expulsions.