Curbing Subjectivity in School Discipline Policy: The Place of Learning Invitations

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 3:20 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: Stakeholders' Responsibilities Across Policy: Roles Within SEAs and K-12 Contexts (Table 7)

Abstract

Subjective referrals make a big portion of all office referrals and disproportionately impact students of color. Yet their highly discretionary nature renders their use suspect, especially given their severe impact on the most vulnerable students. This paper examines whether the use of subjective referrals in schools is appropriate and shows that subjective referrals are both unjust and illegitimate. Accordingly subjective referrals as a discipline policy ought to be replaced by just and legitimate alternatives. Two such policy alternatives are explored. One is disciplinary intervention and is fitting for unambiguous misconduct deserving punishment that falls under broad subjective categories. The other is educational intervention and is fitting for conduct with ambiguous meaning and/or moral valence that impedes important classroom processes.

Author

• Alexandros Charalampos Nikolaidis, University of Central Florida