Black girls face more frequent discipline in school, new report shows
A new study from the U.S. Government Accountability Office shows Black girls face more frequent and severe discipline in public schools than girls from other racial backgrounds.
The study revealed Black girls accounted for 45 percent of out-of-school suspensions, 37 percent of in-school suspensions and 43 percent of expulsions for actions in public schools labeled as "defiance, disrespect and disruption."
Parents.com recently reported on this study.
More data revealed that Black girls in public schools received exclusionary discipline at rates 3 to 5.2 times those of white girls. Additionally, when Black girls had a disability, discipline rates grew even larger.
The study also found that for Black girls who are part of the LGBTQ community or identified with other levels of diversity, punishments were more dramatic.
The report offers a first look at the disciplinary disparities in public schools across the United States and systemic racial issues Black girls face.
"So influential is this negative perception of Black girls that teachers can be given a scenario where they view the same behavior from a white and Black female student and will still be more likely to interpret the behavior of the Black female student as deviant," said Steven Kniffley Jr., PsyD, senior associate dean for pathway innovation and inclusive excellence and associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience in the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. He was not involved in the study.
Kniffley added, "As was noted in the study, the consequences of this stereotype-informed interpretation of Black female behavior are higher rates of discipline, poorer grades and ultimately school disengagement."
He said through awareness, parents of Black girls can also help communicate the bigger picture.
"Black girls will then be less likely to internalize negative stereotypes," said Kniffley. "Through advocacy, parents of Black girls can teach [their kids] how to identify racial microaggressions [and] utilize adaptive coping strategies."
Click here to read the complete Parents.com news report.
Featured image at top: A Black female student takes notes during class. Photo/istock/Drazen Zigic.
Latest UC News
- Thinking globally: Developing an international nurse anesthesia partnershipThe desire to establish an international partnership has long been a goal of the University of Cincinnati (UC) College of Nursing Nurse Anesthesia DAs plans were placed on hold for a few years due to the COVID pandemic, virtual communications between the two institutions continued and, last April, six UC nursing students and two faculty members traveled to Paris, France, for a long-planned week of networking and education alongside IFITS students.octor of Nursing Practice program.
- Sculptor of Pete Rose statue talks about hit king's legacySpectrum News talks to University of Cincinnati graduate Tom Tsuchiya about his sculpture of baseball legend Pete Rose. The sculpture outside Great American Ball Park has become a memorial for Cincinnatians wishing to pay respects to the late World Series champion.
- Stroke symptoms for women to look out forThe University of Cincinnati's Pooja Khatri was featured in an MSN and Huffington Post UK article discussing how symptoms of stroke can look different for women.
- Study: Drug improves effectiveness of radiation for lung cancer that has spread to the brainThe University of Cincinnati’s Debanjan Bhattacharya is first author of new research published in Cancers that found the drug AM-101 improves the effectiveness and survival rate of radiation treatment in animal models of lung cancer that has spread to the brain.
- UC student leaders take a stand against gender-based violence with revival of music eventAfter a decade hiatus, the Clifton Heights Music Festival returns with more than 40 music acts set to perform Friday and Saturday, Oct. 4-5. UC students leaders have worked closely with presenter Far-i-Rome Creative to revive the festival.
- UC College of Allied Health Sciences receives top diversity awardThe University of Cincinnati's College of Allied Health Sciences (CAHS) has earned the 2024 Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from "Insight Into Diversity" magazine for the sixth consecutive year. This prestigious recognition highlights CAHS's commitment to fostering diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) within its academic programs, while preparing a diverse and inclusive health care workforce for the future.