10.6.2: Race and School Discipline
- Page ID
- 64730
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)While the results of litigation and legislative efforts have focused on students of all races and ethnicities having equal access to education, a great deal of research has shown that opportunities within the same schools can differ greatly. Racial and ethnic disparities are an ongoing issue in education with respect to the achievement gap (Ladson-Billings 2006) and graduation rates (Wald and Losen 2007). A great deal of research has demonstrated that racial and socioeconomic disparities exist in the use of suspension and expulsion. A recent study considered racial and ethnic disparities in school discipline at the elementary and middle school level (Skiba et al. 2011).
The data for this study were based on records generated by a school-wide information system, which was being used in over 4,000 schools across the United States during the 2005–2006 academic year. The information system is an electronic platform that can be used to process educational interventions. From these 4,000 schools the researchers identified schools that used the system for the full 2005–2006 academic year, reported ethnicity information, had grade levels between kindergarten and sixth grade or sixth and ninth grade, and had agreed to share anonymous summary data. This resulted in data from 436 schools with a total enrollment of over 120 thousand elementary school students and over 60 thousand middle school students.
The frequency distribution of the number of students referred, the total enrollment, and the race or ethnicity of students for elementary school students is given in Table 10.19. From this table it can be observed that while African American students make up about 25% of the student enrollment population, they comprise 35% of the office referrals for discipline. This can be compared to white students, who make up 45% of the student enrollment population, but account for only 35% of the office referrals for discipline. These frequency distributions clearly show that African American students make up for more than what would be expected with respect to referrals for discipline.
Table 10.19 Frequency distributions of the number of students referred, the total enrollment, and race or ethnicity of students in a school-wide information system study for elementary school students.
|
Race or Ethnicity |
Referred |
Enrollment |
|
Hispanic |
4311 |
25021 |
|
0.131 |
0.209 |
|
|
13.1% |
20.9% |
|
|
African American |
11577 |
30961 |
|
0.353 |
0.258 |
|
|
35.3% |
25.8% |
|
|
White |
11703 |
54690 |
|
0.357 |
0.455 |
|
|
35.7% |
45.5% |
|
|
All Other |
5212 |
9466 |
|
0.159 |
0.079 |
|
|
15.9% |
7.9% |
|
|
Total |
32803 |
120148 |
|
1.000 |
1.001 |
|
|
100% |
100% |