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Discipline Settlement in Wicomico County School District

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A settlement agreement has been reached between the U.S. Justice Department and the Wicomico County Public Schools.

A two year investigation found that the district discriminated against minority students in its discipline of minority students.

The Salisbury Daily Times reports that the settlement requires the school district to report discipline and behavior information to the feds every six months.

This will last until 2019 when the settlement expires.

Justice Department officials said that this was not an admission by the school system that there was discrimination.

The agreement also does not mean there was a violation of the rights of any student.

Superintendent Donna Hanlin told the Daily Times that the survey of students by the federal government will provide key insights into the atmosphere in the schools.

The deal comes as school districts in Maryland are partnering with state education officials to investigate the suspension and expulsion rates among minority students.

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.