"They're the Worst Students!" Constructions of Criminality, Racialized Safety, and Punishment in Texas Public Schools

• In Event: 54.018 - Promising Scholarship in Education: Dissertation Fellows and Their Research

Abstract

Multiple high-profile school shootings within the last 15 years have fueled growing public fear about school violence and has led to the implementation “zero-tolerance” policies as a way to ensure the school safety. However, youth of color continue to face disproportionate discipline experiences within schools, which often leads them into the criminal justice system.

Author

• Kay Sarai Varela, Texas A&M University