School Use of Excessive Suspensions for Minority Students with Challenging Behaviors

• Main Author: Hopkins, Jacquelyn Kay
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01.01.2021
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; African American Students; Behavior Problems; Discipline Policy; Disproportionate Representation; Education Policy; Educational Environment; Educational leadership; Middle School education; Minority Group Students; Multicultural Education; Outcomes of Education; School Safety; Student Behavior; Suspension; Zero Tolerance Policy
• ISBN: 9798496542630

Many U.S. school leaders continue to use the punitive discipline policies to address disciplinary infractions, despite evidence that this approach may be counterproductive. Restorative discipline offers a strategic approach to potentially decrease student suspension for disciplinary infractions. Despite the implementation of restorative discipline practices, 630 minority students were suspended in a school year for breaking the school code of conduct at one Texas middle school. Guided by a framework based on restorative discipline practices, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to understand educators’ perceptions about the use of restorative discipline practices in the local middle school to develop recommendations for reducing the use of suspension for minority students. A purposive sample of eight teachers from the local middle school (four 6th grade, three 7th grade, and one 8th grade) completed semistructured interviews. Analysis using open and axial coding revealed three themes related to teachers’ perceptions of implementation of restorative discipline practices: teacher buy-in, dedicated time for restorative circles, and all staff using strategies consistently as prescribed in training. Findings suggest that a restorative discipline program could be effective if there is teacher and administrator support and attention to consistent implementation. Based on these findings, a position paper with a policy recommendation was developed offering guidance to school leaders on how to revise disciplinary policies and improve practices. The implications for positive social change include potentially reducing the suspension rate of minority students in this middle school as well as other similar school locations using restorative discipline practices.