1 in 4 Peoria public school students suspended

PEORIA — Almost one in every four students in the Peoria school district was suspended at least one time last year and officials say that total is down from previous years.

The Journal-Star newspaper in Peoria reports ( http://bit.ly/q3KmQI ) that suspensions were down 15 percent from each of the previous two years.

District 150 student affairs director Bill Salzman says he is encouraged by the drop but still concerned so many students were suspended.

Eighty-six percent of the suspended students were black and 22 percent were special education students.

The school district also expelled about 100 students. Forty-percent of them were ninth-graders.

Superintendent Grenita Lathan says she's concerned students with disciplinary problems are preventing teachers from doing all they can for other children.