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Preschool is supposed to be a time of discovery, learning, and play, but new national data on public and private preschools reveals a troubling trend when it comes to the way that some young children are disciplined.

In 2016, an estimated 50,000 preschoolers were suspended at least once, and 17,000 more children are estimated to have been expelled, according to an analysis of new data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services by the Center for American Progress, a liberal research and advocacy group.

While the total percentage of preschoolers who are suspended or expelled nationally is less than 1 percent, Rasheed Malik, a policy analyst at the Center for American Progress believes it is still a concern because "suspending and expelling young children has not been shown to produce positive behavioral results.” 

Previous research found that preschoolers were expelled at higher rates than children in grades K-12. The Center for American Progress also says that its analysis of the 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health found that African American children were more than twice as likely as other children to be suspended or expelled from preschool.

Malik and Tunette Powell, the mother of three boys — two of whom were suspended multiple times as preschoolers (pictured above) — discuss the latest findings about preschool discipline. Powell is currently pursuing a PhD in education at UCLA and is the author of two books.

Tunette Powell with 2 of her sons, Joah and JJ, who were suspended multiple times at preschool

(Lorenzo Hodges)

This segment is hosted by Todd Zwillich