(Re)Mediating Exclusionary Discipline Practices for Children of Color With Disabilities Through Virtual Learning Labs

• In Event: Building and Dreaming Intersectional Approaches to Restorative Justice: A Multi-Dimensional Examination

Abstract

Objectives
Black, Indigenous Children of Color (BICOC) with disabilities face multiple, intersecting oppressions in schools and are more likely to be excluded and/or harshly punished for minor behavioral issues compared to white and/or non-disabled peers. We examined how Learning Labs (LLs), a formative intervention, (re)mediated exclusionary and harsh discipline practices for BICOC with disabilities. We present qualitative case studies of California-based stakeholders (four teachers, a parent and an administrator) who participated in LLs from 2021-2022 and moved to restorative and humanizing practices.
Theoretical Framework
We used Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), to understand the beliefs and actions produced by stakeholders invested in supporting BICOC with disabilities who have various interactions with systems that inform exclusionary disciplinary practices (school, community). Ultimately, we aimed to build capacity for sustained family-school partnerships while (re)mediating procedures and actions related to discipline. Additionally, drawing upon intersections of racism and ableism in schools, we used DisCrit (Annamma et al., 2013) to understand how disciplinary practices for BICOC with disabilities occur and (re)mediate these issues.
Methods
Using a qualitative, multiple case study approach (Stake, 2013) we asked how participants (re)mediated disciplinary practices in their contexts. Cases included individual and collective shifts toward restorative and humanizing practices for BICOC with disabilities.
Data Sources
The data collection process (See Figure 1) included pre/post-LL semi-structured interviews and LL focus groups, incorporating written prompts and participant practices. Interviews lasted 30 minutes each, while LL sessions were around two hours. LLs included activities such as reviewing school data, sharing practices, and action planning (see Figure 1).
Snapshot of Results
We shared how educators engaged in more humanizing and restorative approaches as a result of LLs. Below is an example using Wait Time.
Marie, an elementary school administrator (K-5), shared the importance of wait time when addressing discipline. This pause allows her to check “gut reactions” automatically delivering a consequence.
Just not being so reactive with the kiddos. If I need to give consequences, I try to make them natural consequences that align with what the rule was that was broken, or the expectation that wasn't met. A lot of times, it's just kids being kids…emotional and reactive themselves with their peers. And then me just having to step back and say, ‘Okay, I don't need to react as a disciplinary and I just need to be able to listen to them’ and say, ‘Okay, I hear what you're saying and this is how we this is, this is a better approach to solving the problem.’
Significance
As Beneke and Love (2022) explain, early childhood education’s focus on developmental milestones and bringing BICOC with disabilities toward a level of “normalcy” is steeped in whiteness and ableism. We worked to help participants use collective agency to reimagine discipline through a restorative lens that humanizes all children and shifts the responsibility of behavior to classroom communities. As all participants realized, giving students ownership over their learning and behavior was a lengthier, but ultimately more meaningful process.

Authors

• Saili S. Kulkarni, San Jose State University

• Sunyoung Kim, University of Illinois at Chicago

• Nicola Holdman, San Jose State University