Exploring human experiences of Black students criminalized through disciplinary action in New York City schools: a narrative case study

Rachael Walton

doi:10.17918/00010469

School systems in the United States have played a role in the high rates of Black youth incarceration for many years. From early childhood, Black and Latinx students are targeted and trained to model a particular code of conduct in learning environments. The absence of a holistic disciplinary approach has contributed to the school-to-prison pipeline. This study explored the lived experiences of former Black students to determine the relationship between school disciplinary action and youth incarceration while students were in school. Using a qualitative narrative case study design, this research increases knowledge about the disciplinary experiences of former Black students and the ways in which zero tolerance school policies contributed to their experiences with incarceration. Four research questions guide this study: (1) What New York state and New York City school policies do Black students who attended NYC schools from 1990-2020 believe supported the school-to-prison pipeline? (2) How do former Black students from NYC schools describe their school support systems? (3) What school reforms do former Black students from NYC schools suggest that schools adopt to reduce Black youth incarceration rates? (4) How do former Black students at NYC schools describe the impact of city and state funding on their own school experience? This narrative case study provided shared stories of the root causes and the impact of the school to prison pipeline. The findings of the study indicate that all participants recognized the positive value of restorative justice practices and alternative methods to help student's behavior improve. The researcher discovered that all students wanted to feel safe, trusted, and protected, but recounted experiences with biased procedures, including lack of communication, intervention, and detailed investigation, and harsh punishment prevented disciplinary justice. These issues create a barrier for students to learn and parents to feel confident in school that continues to forge a path for success for the Black student population. As it is evident from the study that there is a need to improve school disciplinary policies and expectations of the students within the New York City schools, the study concludes with a discussion of the need for efficient communication and relationship building to understand the student needs versus surveillance. The significance of the research highlighted areas of improvement to decrease Black youth incarceration and provided lived experiences from both former students and parents. Keywords: youth incarceration, criminalization, disciplinary policies, academic environment, social impact

Exploring human experiences of Black students criminalized through disciplinary action in New York City schools: a narrative case study

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Exploring human experiences of Black students criminalized through disciplinary action in New York City schools: a narrative case study

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