Race, gender, class, or all the above: Black females and exclusionary discipline in high school

Kelli Stansbury

doi:10.17918/00011303

Black female students are suspended at rates dramatically higher than White female students in U.S. public schools, accounting for nearly half of all exclusionary discipline measures such as suspensions and expulsions, despite making up only about 15% of the female student population (Epstein et al., 2017). Although school administrators are increasingly monitoring the behavior of Black girls and applying exclusionary discipline practices at rates that are three to five times higher than those for White girls--even for similar infractions--their experiences within these disciplinary systems have largely been overlooked in academic research This study used a mixed-methods approach to examine how frequently Black female high school students in a selected district were subjected to exclusionary discipline practices and compared their discipline rates to those of their White female peers. Additionally, it investigated how district administrators determined the appropriate disciplinary consequences and explored their perspectives on the disciplinary process. The analysis of the overall suspension and expulsion rates found statistically significant differences in overall suspension rates between Black and White female high school students, suggesting that Black females in high school are subjected to exclusionary discipline at rates disproportionate to their representation in the student population. At the individual offense level, the only statistically significant difference between the groups occurred in cases involving fighting. Participation in the Free and Reduced Meals (FARM) program served as a proxy measure for socioeconomic class of the student body. In this study participation in the FARM program was associated with statistically significant differences in suspension rates between Black and White female high school students. Administrators' decision-making was primarily guided by adherence to due process. However, they were also influenced by a commitment to achieving equitable disciplinary outcomes and their choices indicated a significant level of understanding adolescent development and fostered relationships with students, parents, staff, and faculty. By focusing on the educational journeys of Black female students in the context of school discipline, the study encourages active engagement from stakeholders to address structural inequities and foster inclusive, equitable school environments.

Race, gender, class, or all the above: Black females and exclusionary discipline in high school

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Race, gender, class, or all the above: Black females and exclusionary discipline in high school

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