Black Girls and School Discipline: The Complexities of Being Overrepresented and Understudied

• In Event: 31.091 - Roundtable Session 10
  In Roundtable Session: 31.091-22 - African American at Risk

Abstract

Using Critical Race Theory and Critical Race Feminism as a guiding conceptual framework, this empirical study fills a gap in the school-to-prison pipeline literature by examining Black girls’ exclusionary discipline outcomes. First, we examined descriptive disciplinary data from Denver Public Schools to assess whether Black girls were overrepresented in exclusionary discipline outcomes. Next, we used a multivariate approach to determine whether these patterns held after accounting for other identity markers. Finally, we used a qualitative approach to consider whether Black girls’ office referrals were for subjective or objective behaviors and whether these patterns aligned with dominant narratives about Black girls.

Authors

• Subini Ancy Annamma, The University of Kansas

• Nicole Michelle Joseph, Vanderbilt University

• Yolanda Anyon, University of Denver

• Jordan Farrar, University of Denver

• Barbara Downing, Denver Public Schools

• Eldridge Greer, Denver Public Schools

• John Simmons, Denver Public Schools