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Articles

Vol. 6 No. 2 (2020): Journal of Leadership, Equity, and Research

Black Girls and School Discipline: Shifting from the Narrow Zone of Zero Tolerance to a Wide Region of Restorative Practices and Culturally Proficient Engagement

Submitted
August 16, 2020
Published
2020-08-17

Abstract

Nationally, Black girls experience disproportionate discipline consequences more than any other group of students, starting in preschool with Black girls making up 20% of girls enrolled, but 54% of girls suspended from preschool (Camera, 2017).  Inequitable, exclusionary discipline practices occur because there are many forms of institutionalized racism, including the invisibility, intersectionality, and stereotyping of Black girls.  Implicit biases held by some school officials transform into practices, (supported by policies such as Zero Tolerance), which translate into suspensions and expulsions, and further contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline.  Two scenarios of Black female high school students are examined to compare the implications of Zero Tolerance policies versus Restorative Practices and creating equity through Culturally Proficient Partnerships. The recommendations to reduce the number of suspensions is to not only use Restorative Practices, but also continue to educate and equip teachers and administrators in Culturally Proficient strategies that promote family and community partnerships, which insist on equity and fairness.