Suspension rates for Wake County, N.C., high-school students have increased by about 25 percent this year, school-board members were told last month. The district includes the city of Raleigh.
As of March 31, 1,336 high-school students had been suspended for disciplinary problems in the 1982-83 school year, compared to 1,066 students suspended as of March 31 of the previous school year, according to a report prepared by district officials.
Expulsions of high-school students also increased after March 31; 94 stu-dents were expelled after that date this year, compared to 82 students expelled during that period last year.
Superintendent Walter L. Marks said the increase probably resulted from the county’s high-school principals taking a tougher stance on discipline. He said administrators had tried to start a program this year with high-school guidance counselors to reduce the number suspensions and expulsions. “We haven’t been effective in doing that,” he said, adding that they will study the problem this summer.--Raymond Lowrey
