Education’s Real Failure: Low Proficiency, Not Bias

By Lewis Loflin

The education system is failing our students—not because of "systemic racism" or "bias," but because it prioritizes identity politics over academic rigor. The race-DEI industry pushes a red herring: that Black suspension rates are driven by bias, not behavior. State crime rates in Texas, Massachusetts, and Connecticut show otherwise, aligning with suspension disparities and proving behavior is the key factor. Meanwhile, the real crisis—low proficiency rates across all groups—gets ignored, and spending more money doesn’t help when standards are lowered for everyone.

State Crime Rates Show Behavior Drives Suspensions:

In Texas, Black students (12.7% of enrollment) are suspended 2.5x more than White students (TEA 2021). In Massachusetts, Black students (9.3%) are suspended 3x more (DESE 2021). Nationally, the rate is 3.5x (15% vs. 4%, U.S. Dept. of Education, 2020). The race-DEI narrative claims this is bias, but state crime rates tell a different story.

Young Black males (ages 15–24) drive these disparities, with violent crime rates (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) far higher than White males. In Texas, Black males commit violent crimes at 2,060 per 100,000, vs. 936 for White males—a 2.2x ratio. In Massachusetts, it’s 2,050 for Black males vs. 544 for White males—a 3.77x ratio (NCVS 2018, adjusted for state crime rates, FBI 2022). Black males’ suspension rates match this: 20% in Texas and 18% in Massachusetts (grades 9–10) are suspended annually, vs. 8% and 5% for White males—a 2.5–3.6x ratio (CRDC 2020). The alignment is clear: suspensions reflect behavior, not bias.

Connecticut’s Black-White crime disparity is even worse. Black males, about 4.5% of the population (9% Black, 2020 Census), commit one-third of rapes and 38% of aggravated assaults, with robbery rates 10x higher than Whites (sullivan-county.com, 2003 data). Adjusting for population, Black violent crime rates are 8–10x higher than Whites (based on arrest data, 2000–2004, cga.ct.gov). Whites in Connecticut, a wealthy state (median White income $92K, 2020 Census), commit far less crime—overall violent crime rate is 167 per 100,000 (Crime in Connecticut Report, 2021), with Whites likely lower due to their socioeconomic advantage (78% of population, 2020 Census). While Connecticut suspension data isn’t available here, the crime disparity mirrors Texas and Massachusetts, suggesting Black suspension rates (likely 3–4x higher than Whites, based on national trends) reflect behavior, not bias.

Massachusetts’s wider suspension gap (3x vs. 2.5x in TX) isn’t about harsher treatment of Black students—it’s because White students there have better behavior. Massachusetts Whites commit violent crimes at 225 per 100,000, 1.72x lower than Texas Whites at 386 per 100,000, due to higher income ($98K vs. $78K, 2020 Census) and lower poverty (7.2% vs. 9.5%). This leads to fewer White suspensions in Massachusetts (5% vs. 8% in TX), widening the gap with Black students, whose behavior remains consistent across states (18–20% suspended).

The Real Crisis: Low Proficiency for All:

The focus on “bias” distracts from the real failure: 75% of Texas students and 61% of Massachusetts students aren’t proficient in 8th-grade math (NAEP 2022). Black students score 12% in Texas, 15% in Massachusetts; Hispanics 15% and 20%. But even Whites struggle—52% aren’t proficient in both states (37% in TX, 48% in MA). Asians are the exception (50–65% proficient), thriving under equal treatment without accommodations.

High suspension rates for Black males (18–20%) contribute to their low proficiency by removing them from class—missing instruction time cuts test scores by 10–15 points (Education Next, 2020). But the system’s response—lowering standards to “close gaps”—hurts everyone. In Texas, 40% of 8th graders are in below-grade-level math (TEA 2020); in Massachusetts, 30% of Black/Hispanic students are (DESE 2021). De-tracking and credit recovery (90% graduation in TX, but 37% proficiency) prioritize equity over excellence, failing all students.

More Money Doesn’t Fix It:

Massachusetts spends $22K per pupil—2.2x Texas’s $10K (NCES 2021)—but gets only marginal gains. Overall proficiency rises from 25% in Texas to 39% in Massachusetts, but Black and Hispanic students see tiny increases (3–5 points), with 80–88% still failing. Whites gain 11 points (37% to 48%), but 52% still fail. More money doesn’t help when the system lowers standards—de-tracking, dropping exit exams (TX, 2013 HB 5), and debating MCAS requirements (MA, 2023) keep proficiency low across the board.

Equal Treatment, Not Accommodations:

Asians’ success (50–65% proficient, lower suspensions at 1.5x less than Whites, NCES 2020) shows equal treatment under a unified standard works. The race-DEI focus on “bias” leads to lowered expectations—de-tracking, credit recovery, and reduced rigor—that hurt all students, not just Black and Hispanic ones. We need to raise standards for everyone, not accommodate “low achievers” at the expense of education.

The education system must stop chasing red herrings like “bias” and focus on the real failure: low proficiency for all. Equal treatment, not identity politics, is the path forward.