About 1 in 20 K-12 students are suspended from school each year. Students from marginalized groups -- including Black and Latinx students and students with individualized education plans (IEPs) -- experience suspension much more frequently than their peers. Empathic Instruction reduces the racial gaps in suspensions, but it does not close them fully. For example, it reduced the racial disparity in suspension rates by 45%. However, the potential for a brief, online, and low-cost approach to reduce suspensions is significant for theory, practice, and policy. There is powerful new evidence that a more affirming, equitable experience for students can be created by focusing less on reducing bias and more on building empathy.