Abstract
Minority students in both urban and suburban school settings within the United States are subject to harsher and more frequent disciplinary actions than their white counterparts. Implicit bias and lack of cultural awareness contribute to a large disparity in discipline referrals for Black males in particular. Through the application of Critical Race Theory and Racial Threat Theory, this chapter examines the historical influences that have created confirmation bias in the education environment as well as the prevalence of zero-tolerance policies that exist in schools with large minority populations. Data gathered from the 2017 Civil Rights Data collection reported to the US Department of Education were used to highlight the discipline trends of six US school districts.
TopOverview
False narratives have plagued American society since its inception. This has recently been demonstrated in debates regarding use of Critical Race Theory (CRT)-originally a law scholar theory “aimed to reexamine the terms by which race and racism have been negotiated in American consciousness”-to teach American history in public schools (Crenshaw, Gortanda, Pellar, & Thomas, 2018). Such debates have become so politicized that the value behind its construct has been lost, “Despite its academic origins, Critical Race Theory no longer lives in the university. Nearly every invocation of the term, favorable or not, is now in the zeitgeist. It is the problem with having your theory go mainstream: Prominent people have interpreted and emphasized aspects of this scholarship and disseminated their versions to the public, who in turn do their own interpreting as they go (Eduardo, 2021, para. 6).” This has led to an environment in which many Americans are reticent of having dialogue with minorities surrounding the recognition and acceptance of their bias. This reluctance to reflect on said bias has contributed to many Americans having a social cultural disconnect, particularly in the field of education. Although there are opposing perspectives for its value, this author’s application of CRT reflects the sentiment that race plays an integral part in the mechanisms of American society. Whether stated or not, race contributes to the disparity seen in school discipline outcomes. Similar to how society cannot ignore the application of CRT as it pertains to the over representation of Black males in US prisons, society can ill afford to overlook the massive representation of students of color receiving the majority percentage for out of school suspensions and overall school discipline.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Tagging: Creating graffiti art images generally by using aerosol spray paint.
Zero Tolerance: Judicial and education discipline policies with predetermined outcomes that are generally applied with no subjectivity or individual case-by case consideration for offences.
Inner Suburbs: Suburban communities that border or exist within a five-to-ten-mile radius outside of a large city.
Slam Poetry: Competitive poetry where the goal is to use figurative language, tone, mood, and storytelling to defeat your opponent.
Implicit Bias: Internalized prejudices based on deeply held beliefs, ideas, or values that operate in the subconscious.
Outer Suburbs: Suburban communities that are located beyond ten miles from a city.
Playing the Dozens: Verbal competition that uses comedic insults with the goal to exploit emotional weaknesses until all but one of the competitors resigns from the game.
Racial Threat Theory (RTT): A theory in which the dominant culture perceives the accomplishments and attainment of success by a minority group as constituting a loss or threat to the majority’s power.
Critical Race Theory (CRT): An academic theory that suggests that all aspects of policy, law and curriculum should be examined through a racial lens to ascertain the ways in which race plays a role in the interpretation, application, and impact of their governance.
Krunk Dancing: An urban dance style within Hip-Hop culture that expresses aggression, creativity, grace and warriorism. It is generally expressed in a competitive environment and is characterized by sharp, distinctive movements performed at an alternating pace.
Confirmation Bias: The predilection to seek out information that confirms or supports one's own beliefs or values.