Racial Disparities in School Discipline, Addressing Gun Violence, and More

June 29, 2023

Editor’s note: We are pleased to announce the next Brookings president, Cecilia Rouse! Dr. Rouse joins us from Princeton University and previously served in the White House as the chair of the Council of Economic Advisers. We look forward to welcoming her to the institution in January 2024. Learn more about her appointment.

Following the Trump administration’s withdrawal of Obama-era policies and guidance around school discipline, educators, policymakers, students, and families were left without clear definitions of what constitutes illegal discrimination and sensible approaches to student discipline. Rachel Perera and Jon Valant discuss what the Biden administration could have done—and could still do—to address persistent racial disparities in student discipline.

After a sharp pandemic-era increase in gun violence and tense local elections dominated by issues of crime and safety, local public officials are facing immense pressure to advance effective and lasting solutions to keep their constituents safe. Hanna Love and Glencora Haskins provide new analysis on how cities and counties with populations over 250,000 are using their federal funds to invest in community violence intervention.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has seemingly weathered an extraordinary challenge to his leadership, but how this crisis will impact Putin’s standing at home remains to be seen. The risks for Beijing are high, too, given Chinese President Xi Jinping’s investment in relations with Putin, as well as uncertainty surrounding Russia’s trajectory, the war in Ukraine, and the broader strategic environment in China’s backyard, writes Patricia M. Kim.

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