Mindfulness and the Reduction of Punitive Discipline for Black Male Students

• In Event: Culturally Responsive Classroom Management: Improving Outcomes for Diverse Students

Abstract

Despite decades of reform efforts, racial disparities in school discipline persist, with Black male students in secondary grades experiencing the highest rates of exclusionary punishment nationally. Research finds that educator bias contributes to these disparities, yet little is known about how to shift the impacts of bias on discipline decisions. This study explores whether a brief mindfulness-based intervention for teachers may reduce the impacts of racial bias on their interpretations of behavior and subsequent recommendations for discipline after reviewing a vignette depicting a Black male adolescent student. The effects of the intervention on participants’ interpretations and recommendations were examined and findings indicate a significant main effect of the treatment on both indicators. Implications for in-service teacher education are discussed.

Author

• Lindsay Romano, New York University