Fighting to Be Seen: (Re)Visioning the Strengths of Persistently Disciplined Black Girls

• In Event: 32.083 - Roundtable Session 12
  In Roundtable Session: 32.083-11 - Speaking Back: Black Students Claiming Space and Strength

Abstract

The literature highlights the disproportionality in discipline for Black students, but focuses on Black boys. Few studies have examined disproportionate discipline in regards to Black girls and fewer have focused on the strengths of this population to challenge negative conceptions. The purpose of this study is to discover the strengths of Black girls who have been persistently disciplined in high school. We conducted an embedded case study applying the Appreciative Inquiry (AI) process to gain insights into what inspires persistently disciplined Black girls to continue in education. The results incorporate the first two stages of AI: we discovered core strengths of three Black girls and considered these strengths in dreaming what is possible in research, policy, and practice.

Authors

• Erica Young

• Marcia Faye Carmichael-Murphy, Jefferson County Public Schools

• Bradley W. Carpenter, The University of Houston