Black Adolescent Experiences With School Discipline: The Need for Equitable Support Systems

• In Event: Friday Roundtable Session 7:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Voices From the Field: Students' Policy Experiences (Table 33)

Abstract

Black students have been overidentified for disciplinary referrals and disproportionately subjected to harsher disciplinary practices (i.e., suspension, expulsion) which can negatively impact their access to quality education and hinder their development and life trajectories. This study aims to understand the experiences and perceptions of Black adolescents recurrently identified for disciplinary action in their middle schools. Students shared their interactions with disciplinary practices, policies, and procedures and perceptions of support from school staff. This examination provides insights to support the overall development and academic success of Black youth while removing barriers to quality education, especially for Black adolescents whose academic trajectories are most impacted by systemic racism—disguised as school discipline—within the education system.

Authors

• Summer Luckey, The Ohio State University

• Sarah N Lang, The Ohio State University