Out of School but in the Home: National Evidence on How School Discipline Impacts Parents

• In Event: The School-Prison Nexus: Causes and Effects

Abstract

The negative effects of exclusionary school discipline affect students but also parents. This study examined such “secondary discipline” by documenting the impacts of school discipline on parents. We collected data from a national sample of 439 U.S. parents with children in K-12 schools. Using descriptive statistics and logistic regression, we show that over half of parents (50.8%) reported being impacted by school discipline – including missing work, seeking counseling, and even losing a job. The analyses revealed that school discipline policies disproportionately affect marginalized communities with Black families, lower income parents, parents of boys, and families living in the South experiencing higher rates of secondary discipline. We discuss the implications for ongoing policy debates around discipline and the practices of educators.

Authors

• Chris Curran, University of Florida

• Jiyeon Goo, University of Florida

• Julie Gerlinger, University of Oklahoma