Examining the Association Between School District Racial and Ethnic Composition and School Punishment

• In Event: Roundtable: Juvenile Justice, Schools, and Family

Abstract

This paper examines the relationship between school district racial and ethnic composition and school punishment. Moreover, whether the relationships vary by race and ethnicity. I draw on racialized perspectives to explore the relationships between race/ethnicity and school discipline. I utilize data from a nationally representative dataset of public schools and districts in the U.S. The preliminary results suggest that school districts with larger racial and ethnic minority student populations punish students at higher rates. Moreover, I find evidence of racial and ethnic variation, suggesting that Black and Hispanic students are punished more than White students.

Author

• Gerardo Cuevas, Pacific Lutheran University