Poster #34 - Intersectionality and Identity-Based Discipline Disparities

• In Event: Poster Session 10

Abstract

There are significant disparities between heterosexual and sexual minority youth (SMY; e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual, or queer youth) in school-based discipline (Chmielewski et al., 2016; Mittleman, 2018). Less is known about SMY-based disparities for youth facing additional forms of marginalization. In this study, we examine disparities from an increasingly intersectional perspective based on the combination of youth’s sexual orientation, racial/ethnic identities, and gender.

Data and Methodology
We used the 2018 Dane County Wisconsin Youth Assessment, with a final sample of 23,905 students in grades 7-12 in 55 Wisconsin middle and high schools (see Table 1). Students reported their grade, sexual orientation, gender, and race/ethnicity, several covariates included in our model (peer victimization, bullying, truancy), and whether they had received an in-school or out-of-school suspension during the current school year (0=no; 1=yes). We used multilevel modeling to adjust for youth within schools, maximum likelihood with robust standard errors and the logit link function, and Montecarlo integration to handle missing data, to predict in-school suspension (model 1) and out-of-school suspension (model 2). Our focal predictors were participants’ identities at the intersection of race/ethnicity and sexual orientation (White heterosexual [reference group], White SMY, Black heterosexual, Black SMY, Latinx heterosexual, Latinx SMY, Asian-origin heterosexual, Asian-origin SMY, multiracial heterosexual, and multiracial SMY), and we further stratified our models by gender.

Results
We identified disparities for in-school and out-of-school suspensions based on students’ intersecting identities of race, sexual orientation, and gender (Table 2). For in-school suspensions, Black, Latinx, and multiracial heterosexual boys had greater odds of reporting in-school suspensions than White heterosexual boys (AOR = 3.59, 1.65, and 1.53, respectively). Odds of reporting in-school suspensions did not differ across racial/ethnic minority SMY boys relative to White heterosexual boys. Among girls, Black, Latinx, and multiracial heterosexual girls had greater odds of reporting in-school suspensions than White heterosexual girls (AOR = 6.00, 3.28, and 2.58, respectively), as did Black and multiracial SMY girls (AOR = 6.86 and 2.43, respectively).
For out-of-school suspensions, Black, Latinx, and multiracial heterosexual boys had greater odds of reporting suspensions than White heterosexual boys (AOR = 4.38, 1.74, and 2.15, respectively). Odds of reporting out-of-school suspensions did not differ across racial/ethnic minority SMY boys relative to White heterosexual boys. Among girls, Black, Latinx, and multiracial heterosexual girls had greater odds of reporting out-of-school suspensions than White heterosexual girls (AOR = 9.78, 3.71, and 3.28, respectively), as did Black and Asian-origin SMY girls (AOR = 13.50 and 3.24, respectively).

Discussion
These findings suggest that multiple systems of discrimination operate within schools, and young queer girls of color experience the brunt of this bias. Identity-based discipline disparities illustrate one indicator of a system that (un)consciously punishes youth who are not heterosexual, cisgender, and/or White. With this knowledge, those who shape disciplinary policy and practice have an opportunity to disrupt these patterns and implement strategies to create a school climate where all students are treated justly.

Authors

• Shannon D Snapp, California State University - Monterey Bay
  Presenting Author

• Paul Poteat, Boston College