Diversity and Discipline: Understanding the Relationship Between Diversity and Hate Crimes Disciplined in K-12 Schools

• In Event: From Bias to Belonging: Addressing Bias and Hate in Schools and Community Institutions

Abstract

This study examines how diversity within schools influences disciplinary actions taken in response to hate crimes within the K-12 education system. This research uses the U.S. Department of Education’s Civil Rights Data Collection for the 2020-2021 school year to investigate whether a school's level of diversity influences the likelihood of disciplining reported hate crimes (n = 601) while controlling for school- and district-level factors. Relying on the Minority Threat Perspective, we expect schools with lower diversity will be less likely to take disciplinary action compared to more diverse schools. Findings reveal that the majority (89.99%) of hate crime allegations were met with disciplinary action. Contrary to expectations, results showed a quadratic relationship between school diversity and hate crime discipline. These results suggest that highly diverse schools may have strict enforcement or norms against hate crimes while lower diverse schools may be characterized by a majority-minority dynamic that emphasizes the need for disciplinary actions.

Authors

• Alvi Ali, The University of Nebraska at Omaha

• Tara Richards, The University of Nebraska at Omaha

• Zachary Hamilton, The University of Nebraska at Omaha