Atlanta Blackstar: 6 Reasons Black Boys Without Disability Wind Up In Special Education

This is a subject I'm often concerned about Black boys in education especially K-12 education. If they already had problems through the 12th grade they will certainly have problems in an undergrad college. The problem to consider: how do they wind up in special education without a disability?

It’s Their Behavior, Not a Disability
Many Black boys who end up in special education do not have a disability. Rather, they have circumstances that spur behavior patterns that are not compatible with the school environment, according to researcher Ivory Toldson. This behavior usually can be corrected by changing something about their surroundings. Researchers divide students into five categories: a true negative — children who do not have a disability and have never been diagnosed; a true positive — children who have a disability and have been accurately diagnosed; a false negative — children who have a disability but have never been diagnosed; a false positive — children who do not have a disability but have been diagnosed with one; or have a specific disability and are diagnosed with the wrong one.

Of course there is more to this than that, but it's something that is of concern. Especially with the news in CPS that Black male students faces a greater possibility of disciplinary action than students of other ethnicities in the public schools here.

BTW, I couldn't find as of this writing of a more recent article. It's an issue of concern especially if we want to figure out why more Black male students in CPS get suspended or expelled. This article I read is from June 2010.