DURHAM, N.C. — There is some discouraging news for Durham middle and high school students.

According to a recent report by

Durham Public Schools

, more than 2,300 middle and high school students served one or more suspensions in the first half of the school year, which is a 52 percent increase over the same period last year.

The report states that black students were suspended at a higher rate that white students.

Officials say about 57 percent of students at Durham public schools are black, but they account for 80 percent of suspensions.