Special yet Unequal: Race, Disability, and the Prison Pipeline for Black Youth in America

• In Event: Examining the Mass Incarceration, Intersectionalities, and Carceral State of Special Education for Black Children

Abstract

This paper explores the relationship between race, special education, and incarceration with a focus on the experiences of Black youth in the United States. Although research portraying the lived experiences of Black youth in carceral settings exists, the research focuses almost exclusively on pathways that begin with school violence and gang activity. Consequently, it is only in recent years that researchers have documented the manifestation of a school-to-prison pipeline for Black students who are enrolled in special education programs. Studies show enrollment in special education is associated with lower academic achievement, higher rates of school discipline, drop out, low employment prospects, and incarceration (Chesmore, Ou, & Reynolds, 2016; Losen & Gillespie, 2012; Sanford et al., 2011). For example, the 2015 National Council on Disability report shows African American students with cognitive or behavioral disabilities represent 18.7 percent of students categorized under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), but nearly 50 percent of IDEA students in correctional facilities (National Council on Disability, 2015). Considering the abundance of research that shows Black youth with special needs are placed on pathways to incarceration that begin in the school setting, this paper will explore the origins of the prison pipeline for Black youth who are diagnosed with behavioral impairments.
To understand how school discipline affects Black students I interviewed 30 Black high school students who were suspended and/or expelled in the 2016-2017 school year as well as 30 parents of Black high school students who were suspended and/or expelled during the 2016-2017 academic year. My findings suggest Black students who are diagnosed with behavioral disabilities are at times suspended in violation of state and federal guidelines. Specifically, my data suggests verbal and/or written notices that are mandated by state law to inform students and parents about instances of school discipline are not provided to Black students with special needs, disciplinary hearings are not scheduled in a timely manner, and unlawful practices exist in primarily Black high schools (PBHS) that call for students to be suspended for lengthy periods of time. Nine student participants were diagnosed with cognitive and/or behavioral disabilities such as specific learning disabilities in reading, attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder (ADHD), intermittent explosive disorder, and conduct disorder. During the interviews, student participants suggested discipline practices often violate state law and further facilitate student’s detachment from the academic environment.
Although state and federal guidelines were implemented to protect students who are diagnosed with cognitive and behavioral disabilities from unnecessary school discipline, the findings presented in this paper suggest additional measures are necessary to ensure state and federal guidelines are followed. It is imperative that educators and parents challenge practices that create an insurmountable burden for Black families as they navigate K-12 schools. Additionally, it is important that educators understand the historical context that shapes race, disability, and the school-to-prison-pipeline and consider the devastating consequences associated with school discipline prior to distributing an out-of-school suspension.

Author

• Charles Bell, Illinois State University