Disciplinary Inequity. Exploring Perceptions of Discretionary Student Removal Among Assistant Principals in Texas: A Case Study

• In Event: 35.077 - Pushing Beyond Zero: Issues in Zero-Tolerance School Discipline and Positive Discipline Alternatives

Abstract

Statement of the Problem:
In Texas public schools the implementation of provisions of Texas Education Code Chapter 37, namely the use of discretionary removal, differs substantially depending upon student race. Current rates of removal for African American males are more than two and a half times greater on average than any other student group. This disproportionality has been amplified by increased rates of discretionary removal overall among Texas public schools, adding yet another dimension to this complex issue (Fabelo et al., 2011; Mendez & Knopf, 2003). These removals are damaging to student learning, and further widen the learning gap between African American students and those of other races (Losen & Skiba, 2010). Moreover, they have been shown to contribute to additional involvement in school disciplinary processes, an increased risk of dropping out, incarceration, and limited economic opportunity for large numbers of African Americans (Fabelo, et al., 2011; Reyes, 2006). It demonstrates that the policies designed to help manage student behavior in Texas public schools are not objective or neutral, because the processes used to implement them are responsive to student race and, therefore, inequitable.

Definition of the Area for Research:
The focal point of this study is the way in which TEC 37, the primary body of educational law addressing school discipline, is being implemented in Texas public schools, with a specific focus on discretionary removal powers of campus administrators. It will explore decision-making processes campus administrators use to determine which students will be removed from instruction, and for how long, as a means of discipline. Drawing from elements of sense-making theory and critical discourse analysis, I will investigate what factors may be contributing to the decisions by school officials to remove African American students more often and for longer terms than White, Latino, and Asian students (Spillane, Halverson, & Diamond, 2004; Wodak, 2004).

Methodology:
This study will focus on the disciplinary processes in middle schools in a mid-sized district located in a Central Texas. It will use a mixed-methods approach, incorporating a qualitative case study and quantitative analysis of student data drawn from multiple sources including student demographics, discretionary removal rates, and survey and interview responses collected from school administrators at the sites.


Significance of Study:
The value of this study lies in the interrogation of a subjective power that is widely used by school officials in Texas more often against Black students. As we continue to develop an understanding about the racial gap in student discipline, it is imperative to identify variables that influence decisions by school administrators to remove African American students from instruction more than students from other races.

Author

• Troy Pitsch, Pflugerville Independent School Distirct