Racialized Perceptions of School Violence Suspensions of African-American Students

Abstract

The history and current practices of out-of-school suspensions significantly impact African-American students; research shows the practices to be overly used and target African-American students. This chapter explores the ways that school violence is responded to disproportionally and is entangled with racial mythology. That is, racial discrimination shows up in structural and interpersonal ways such as suspending and expelling students of Color for the same infractions for which White peers get to return to class such as kicking a trashcan, defiance, and truancies. The chapter closes with recommendations for educators and policymakers, focusing on ways to mitigate the impact of out-of-school suspension practices and racial discrimination in order to improve the future of learning, school discipline, and outcomes of African-American students.