"It's Not What You Know, but Who You Know": African American Girls, School Discipline and the Importance of Class

• In Event: Critical Approaches to Youth Crime and Youth Justice

Abstract

Prior research has shown that African American youth are disciplined, suspended, and expelled at a higher rate than their white counterparts. Beginning as early as age 5, black youth are routinely suspended and expelled for minor infractions, such as “talking back” to faculty/staff, writing on school desks, or for hair deemed as unacceptable by school code of conduct handbooks. Moreover, African American girls are 7 times more likely to be suspended from school than white girls. Oftentimes, focus is placed on disproportionate outcomes for black boys, neglecting the experiences of black girls within the public-school system. Due to the lack of research, a qualitative approach was utilized through in-depth, one-on-one interviews with African American girls to discuss their experiences with school discipline. Although the girls credited race as a factor in their treatment by school administration, class was an unexpected contributor regarding disciplinary outcomes. With this research, it is hoped that the narratives of the girls will bring light to their treatment in the public-school setting and inform school administration of the necessity of equity in school disciplinary outcomes.

Author

• Asha Ralph, Old Dominion University