A new report from the New Mexico Department of Justice finds Gallup-McKinley County Schools relies on out-of-school suspensions at some of the highest rates in the state, where Native American and Hispanic students face harsher discipline measures.
It follows a 2022 report from ProPublica in partnership with New Mexico In Depth that found Indigenous students were punished more than other students in the district.
A recent report from the Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission corroborates that previous reporting, finding that Indigenous students are facing punishment more harshly than other students in the district.
The New Mexico DOJ’s own investigation found similar issues where Native American and Hispanic students were suspended at higher rates than their white peers, even when accounting for differences in student population sizes.
Anjana Samant, deputy counsel for Impact Litigation at the New Mexico Department of Justice, outlined the metric her department used to determine whether there were any disparities across the groups.
“Say out of every 100 Native American students, white students, Hispanic students — how many receive out-of-school suspensions. Because when we look at it this way, the fact that there may be 7,000 Native American students and only 2,000 White students, that difference doesn't matter because we've accounted for that,” said Samant.
The analysis found about 10 out of every 100 Native American students received out-of-school suspensions during the 2023-2024 school year, compared with 4 out of every 100 Hispanic students and 1 out of every 100 white students.
Gallup-McKinley County Schools reported the current 120th day enrollment numbers show the district serves almost 10,000 students, including 7,481 Native American students and 1,401 Hispanic students.
Superintendent Jvanna Hanks said the district has 32 schools and serves seven distinct communities.
“The majority of our student population is overwhelmingly Navajo and Hispanic,” said Hanks.
Hanks said the district is reviewing the findings and methodologies used in the report.
The district has recently completed a community listening tour and created a new Equity Council with positions designated for Native American community members.
“All students feeling safe and comfortable in schools so that they can learn, that really is our ultimate goal,” said Hanks.
Hanks said during those sessions, she did not receive feedback from families regarding discipline.
“I did hear concerns about bullying and concerns about making sure that students who reported it were being supported,” Hanks said.”That’s why we really want to talk to the community as we potentially look to make changes.”
Hanks said the district will continue to review its discipline policies and work with students, families, and community members moving forward.
Samant said NMDOJ also found a lack of sufficient guidelines for misconduct and definitions of what actions would lead to out-of-school suspensions are lacking. This means because students spent more time out of school versus even in-school suspension, they are already showing signs of underperforming academically in comparison to statewide standards and they are no longer eligible for educational services because they are not attending school.
“Takes away educational opportunities, takes away job preparedness, college preparedness, even impacts mental health and physical health as well,” Samant said.
Hanks said the district will continue reviewing its discipline policies and working with students, families, and community members moving forward.
This coverage is supported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and KUNM listeners like you.
