BREAKING NEWS: SCHOOL SUSPENSIONS PROVEN TO TURN BLACK AND HISPANIC STUDENTS INTO CRIMINALS
In a shocking report published in Criminology in June 2023, Benjamin W. Fisher and Alex O. Widdowson have found that school suspensions are turning Black and Hispanic students into criminals. That's right, folks, the very act of suspending a student from school is amplifying their risk of later arrest! Who knew detention could be so dangerous?
According to the report, White students are immune to the criminalizing effects of suspension. In fact, some White students have even reported feeling rejuvenated after a suspension, like they've been given a new lease on life. It's almost like they've been to a spa instead of being punished for bad behavior.
But for Black and Hispanic students, the story is very different. The label of "suspended student" is consistent with stereotypes that link Blackness to criminality and Hispanic people to illegality. It's like the school is saying, "Hey, you're already a criminal, might as well lean into it." And that's not fair.
So what can schools do to avoid turning their students into hardened criminals? The report suggests alternatives to suspension, like restorative chats, counseling, problem solving/contracting, co-learning, and school service. But let's be real, those all sound like boring alternatives. Here are some more exciting options:
1. Dance Party: Instead of suspending a student, throw them a dance party. It's hard to be a criminal when you're doing the cha-cha slide.
2. Karaoke Competition: Give the suspended student a chance to show off their pipes. Who knows, they might be the next American Idol.
3. Paintball Tournament: Nothing says "let's work out our issues" like shooting paint at each other.
4. Escape Room Challenge: Put the suspended student's problem-solving skills to the test with an escape room challenge. If they can escape the room, they can escape a life of crime.
5. Celebrity Chef Showdown: Have the suspended student compete in a cooking competition judged by celebrity chefs. If they can make a mean risotto, they can make something of themselves.
These alternatives may seem unconventional, but they're sure to be more effective than simply sending a student home for a few days. Plus, it'll make school a lot more fun for everyone involved.
In all seriousness, school policies need to address the racial and ethnic disparities in the use of suspension and other forms of exclusionary discipline. The labeling process has different effects by race and ethnicity, and it's not fair that some students are being set up for a life of crime while others get off scot-free.
Let's make school a place where all students can thrive, regardless of their race or ethnicity. And let's do it without turning them into criminals in the process.
Education Research Report: School suspensions amplify Black, Hispanic students’ risk of later arrest https://educationresearchreport.blogspot.com/2023/06/school-suspensions-amplify-black.html
Big Education Ape: HAVING 'THE MAN' ON CAMPUS ARE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS (SROs) AND/OR CAMPUS POLICE NECESSARY http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2023/06/having-man-on-campus-are-school.html
THE DEFT DIVE
According to the report by Benjamin W. Fisher and Alex O. Widdowson, published in Criminology in June 2023², the major finding is that **school suspension amplifies Black and Hispanic students' risk of later arrest relative to White students**, whose risk of arrest is not amplified by suspension and in some cases is even diminished³. The authors used data from the National Longitudinal Study of Youth 1997 (N = 8,634) and found that the link between suspension and subsequent arrest was strongest for Black and Hispanic students because the label conferred by schools’ suspension of students is consistent with prevailing stereotypes that link Blackness to criminality and Hispanic people to illegality¹. The authors suggest that suspension is particularly harmful for Black and Hispanic relative to White students and that the labeling process has different effects by race and ethnicity².
Bing, 6/28/2023
(1) Racial and ethnic differences in the consequences of school suspension .... https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1745-9125.12344.
(2) School suspensions amplify Black, Hispanic students' risk of later .... https://phys.org/news/2023-06-school-suspensions-amplify-black-hispanic.html.
(3) School suspensions amplify Black, Hispanic st | EurekAlert!. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/993717.
(4) Ethnic identity tied to disparities in school suspensions among Florida .... https://phys.org/news/2022-09-ethnic-identity-tied-disparities-school.html.
(5) School Suspension in Florida: The Interactive Effects of Race .... https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336879237_School_Suspension_in_Florida_The_Interactive_Effects_of_Race_Ethnicity_Gender_and_Academic_Achievement.
Some possible implications of this finding for school policies are:
- - School policies should consider **alternatives to suspension** where possible to avoid the negative effects of labeling and stigmatizing students, especially Black and Hispanic students²³.
- - School policies should adopt **restorative approaches** following a suspension experience to reintegrate students into prosocial communities and reduce their exposure to deviant peers².
- - School policies should address the **racial and ethnic disparities** in the use of suspension and other forms of exclusionary discipline, and examine how they may reflect and reinforce prevailing stereotypes¹⁴.
- - School policies should evaluate the **effectiveness and consequences** of suspension as a behavioral management tactic, and consider how it may impact students' academic achievement, dropout rates, and college attendance¹³.
Bing, 6/28/2023
(1) Collateral Consequences of School Suspension: Examining the ‘Knifing .... https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12103-020-09579-5.
(2) Student Suspensions Have Negative Consequences, According to NYC Study .... https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/student-suspensions-have-negative-consequences-according-nyc-study.
(3) School Discipline Linked to Later Consequences. https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/19/09/school-discipline-linked-later-consequences.
(4) School suspensions amplify Black, Hispanic students' risk of later .... https://phys.org/news/2023-06-school-suspensions-amplify-black-hispanic.html.
Some examples of alternatives to suspension are:
- - **Restorative chat**: A strategy that helps the student understand the harm done by their actions and allows them an opportunity to repair this harm, such as by apologizing, making amends, or participating in a mediation process⁴.
- - **Counseling**: A strategy that provides the student with access to mental health care and support, and helps them address the underlying causes of their behavior, such as trauma, substance misuse, or emotional issues¹³.
- - **Problem solving/contracting**: A strategy that involves the student in identifying the problem behavior, its consequences, and possible solutions, and then creating a written agreement or contract that specifies the expectations, goals, and rewards for changing the behavior¹.
- - **Co-learning**: A strategy that engages the student in academic activities that are relevant, meaningful, and challenging, and that foster positive relationships with peers and teachers¹.
- - **School service**: A strategy that assigns the student to perform tasks that benefit the school community, such as assisting custodial staff, tutoring younger students, or organizing school events¹².
Bing, 6/28/2023
(1) Alternatives to Suspension: Three effective strategies for ... - NASSP. https://www.nassp.org/publication/principal-leadership/volume-16-2015-2016/principal-leadership-october-2015/alternatives-to-suspension-three-effective-strategies-for-changing-student-behavior/.
(2) Creative Alternative Strategies to School Suspensions. https://www.kickboardforschools.com/classroom-behavior-management/creative-alternative-strategies-to-school-suspensions/.
(3) Alternatives To Suspension | PBIS World. https://www.pbisworld.com/tier-2/alternatives-to-suspension/.
(4) Suspension Alternatives: It's Time To Reconsider Them - WeAreTeachers. https://www.weareteachers.com/suspension-alternatives/.
(5) PPT - Alternatives to Suspension PowerPoint Presentation ... - SlideServe. https://www.slideserve.com/harvey/alternatives-to-suspension.
(6) Alternatives to Suspension - [PPT Powerpoint] - vdocuments.net. https://vdocuments.net/alternatives-to-suspension-56baa6fc1ef1d.html.
