Arbitrary and Inappropriate: A comparative evaluation of the punishment of Black children in the U.S.

• In Event: Race, Gender, and Class Roundtables Session
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): 11) Racism, Punishment, and Sports

Abstract

Early and persistent exposure to negative narratives – such as adultification and pigeonholing – can shape Black children's educational and life trajectories. How can teachers, administrators, and community members mobilize to support the growth and safety of children, particularly those from historically marginalized backgrounds? This study employs comparative analysis of the experiences of three Black high school girls who faced disproportionate disciplinary actions in school and situates their stories within broader national patterns of punitive practices, drawing on Critical Race Theory to foreground the centrality of race and racism in educational inequities. By designing an evaluative tool to assess these disciplinary incidents across the girls' experiences and national punitive practices, the author found that the incidents fell into one or both of two categories: arbitrary punishment or inappropriate punishment. As a potential first step for evaluation, this framework highlights the need for institutions to take a serious look at the ways that disciplinary policies use deficit framings to cause daily harm to Black children and frequently overlook children’s strengths in the process. Findings suggest that youth perspectives – along with a critical examination of disciplinary practices – offer insights into systemic challenges, and potential pathways for change. Based on these revelations, a revised evaluative tool will be shared as a possible next step toward the more just treatment of all children.

Author

• Jadyn Laixely, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign