Discipline and Belonging: How Early Elementary Students Make Sense of Punishment in the Classroom

• In Event: Amplifying Children's Voices for Transformative Early Childhood Education

Abstract

This study investigates how young Black children articulate their understanding of punishment in early elementary classrooms. Engaging six Black K-2 students in semi-structured interviews and imaginative-narrative activities, this research shares their perceptions of discipline and its connection to their moral worth as shaped by teachers. Utilizing theories of adult supremacy and carceral logics in education, findings demonstrate that children internalize punishment as markers of their value in the classroom, reflecting the pervasive influence of carceral thinking. However, when prompted to envision alternative responses to harm, many participants proposed actions rooted in forgiveness, empathy, and accountability, diverging from traditional punitive approaches. This project emphasizes the need for child-centered research methodologies and the potential of abolitionist thought in reshaping early educational practices.

Author

• Alexandrea Henry, Stanford University