I have been a public high school teacher for eighteen years. I teach in a large high school in an urban environment. We are about 25% African-American. Most are great, great kids. Yet we too suspend black kids at an alarmingly high rate. What's the deal?
IT'S CULTURE! Until the black community realizes that kids from one parent families aren't making it and does something about it this is going to go on. Many of these kids hit school totally unprepared for classroom work. Large numbers can't seem to be on time. Too many are interested in obtaining $200.00 sneakers and not top grades. Their language is too often loud and vulgar. Too many seem to have no respect for adults or authority.
Off course they're going to get suspended. This isn't going to change until behaviors change. Is anybody really surprised?
I taught school for 30 years and you are so right. It did not become a real problem until the early 90's. (I thought I would not make it to retirement.) The first 20 or so years were very different....