At this meeting you will hear about history in the making—how on both the national and local level, huge steps have been taken to alleviate racial disparities and unsuccessful zero tolerance policies. Last month in Baltimore at the Frederick Douglass High School, U.S. Secretary Arne Duncan, and the attorney general, Eric Holder, released federal recommendations and guidelines to change disciplinary practices that push students out of school—including overuse of suspensions, expulsion, and arrests.

Almost simultaneously, the Maryland State Board of Education adopted new, state-wide school discipline regulations. The regulations are intended to reduce disparities in suspensions for students of color and those with disabilities, shorten the time allowed to districts to respond to appeals, and establish a minimum level of educational services for children during a suspension.

Joining us to discuss this and what it mean for us all:

• Damon T. Hewitt, a senior advisor at the Open Society Foundations – U.S. Programs who previously served as director of the Education Practice Group at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF).
• Jane Sundius, director of education and youth development at Open Society Institute-Baltimore.