PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) -- A federal civil rights complaint alleges that black children in five Florida school districts are suspended from school, arrested at school or given other punishments at a higher rate than other students.

The Southern Poverty Law Center filed the complaint Tuesday with the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights.

An attorney for the national civil rights organization says its research shows higher-than-average disciplinary rates for black children in the Bay, Escambia, Flagler, Okaloosa and Suwanee county school districts.

Flagler County School District attorney Kristy Gavin says the 13,000-student district is gathering documents to respond to the allegations and will cooperate with any requests for data from federal authorities.

The other districts did not immediately respond to messages left by The Associated Press.