Do you know what it feels like to constantly go to school and not know if you will be discriminated against based on your skin color? Unfortunately, millions of students around the world do this every day. Many students walk onto a school campus under the assumption that they will be racially profiled based off the color of their skin. They fear the repercussions of something that they are unable to control. Black students, particularly those with disabilities, are more likely to face extreme forms of discipline, including out-of-school suspension and intentional physical pain, compared to other groups, including those with disabilities, in many states where corporal punishment is still legal (Jordan). This piece will explore the issues faced by people of color in school punishments and the things that need to be changed.

The main problem comes with the correlation of being punished and bad grades. Recently, there has been a link between harsh school punishment and bad grades. According to Carrie Spector, "Students of color are suspended at disproportionately higher rates than white students and, on average, perform more poorly on standardized tests. But no peer-reviewed nationwide research has documented a link between the two disparities—until now." Recent studies have shown a definitive link between the two. The harsher the punishment, the greater the drop in grades. 

There is also a disproportionate amount of black students as opposed to white students in most school settings. A study published in American Psychologist analyzed school records of 2,381 students from 12 urban Mid-Atlantic schools in the US. The study found that 818 were Black and 1,563 were white. The researchers also surveyed students annually about their perceptions of their school's climate, including its consistency and clarity of rules (Winerman). This could also be a leading cause of why Black children feel like they are being forgotten and left in the dust.

So where do we go from here? Well, schools must be willing to enforce their standards evenly. Schools must enforce standards fairly and legitimately, without allowing discrimination. However, some departments have found disciplinary policies or actions to be used as an excuse for the unfair treatment of certain students (Jordan). Second, staff should carry out their duties without discriminating against anyone of color. This would include school police officers and anyone who doesn't just have the duty to teach. The Department of Education reports a 5% increase in student arrests and a 12% increase in police referrals nationwide in just two years, highlighting the need for increased law enforcement presence in schools and the rise in student arrests and police referrals (Jordan). Lastly, we need to increase the training for our teachers on how to deal with today's students. Emily Peterson reports, "Training teachers on topics including emotional support, classroom organization, and instructional support has been suggested to significantly decrease the racial discipline gap. This training can occur in a variety of settings, including annual or monthly workshops and online courses; some have even suggested incorporating these trainings into the teacher certification process." Doing all these things in combination is a good step forward. It would provide a safer, more inclusive school environment.

It is beyond important to protect our students regardless of their race. We can't lose sight of how huge and important this issue is. The well-being of these students cannot be overstated. They are the future of our country, and they should be treated as such. Schools must enforce standards fairly and legitimately without discrimination, including law enforcement. Increased law enforcement presence and training for teachers on emotional support, classroom organization, and instructional support can help decrease the racial discipline gap, promoting a safer, more inclusive school environment. This is why, regardless of who you are, you should treat everyone with the same amount of respect that you would wish to receive yourself. These students need our help to change the way these schools currently view them. This is why we should encourage everyone we know to educate themselves on ways they can help and bring change to this system.

Jordan, Harold. “Why School Discipline Reform Still Matters | ACLU.” American Civil Liberties Union, 19 Oct. 2023, www.aclu.org/news/racial-justice/why-school-discipline-reform-still-matters.

Peterson, Emily. “Racial Inequality in Public School Discipline for Black Students in the United States.” Ballard Brief, 2021, ballardbrief.byu.edu/issue-briefs/racial-inequality-in-public-school-discipline-for-black-students-in-the-united-states.

Spector, Carrie. “Racial Disparities in School Discipline Are Linked to the Achievement Gap between Black and White Students Nationwide, according to Stanford-Led Study.” Stanford Graduate School of Education, 14 Oct. 2019, ed.stanford.edu/news/racial-disparities-school-discipline-are-linked-achievement-gap-between-black-and-white.

Winerman, Lea. “For Black Students, Unfairly Harsh Discipline Can Lead to Lower Grades.” Apa.org, 7 Oct. 2021, www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2021/10/black-students-harsh-discipline.