Local educators are expressing concern about a nationwide trend of rising suspensions and expulsions among preschoolers, a trend that is three times higher than in K-12 schools, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. The department attributes the increase to factors such as implicit bias from teachers, low salaries, limited training, and high teacher-to-child ratios. Mary Francis Gold, director of Creative Minds Child Development Center in Paducah, with over a decade of experience, called the situation “very sad,” emphasizing the critical need for accessible child care.
