1. School Discipline Gap: Multicultural Training Workshop
Samantha Arzon
Erin Haley
Katherine Henderson
Pamela Postage
Anne Ruoff
Archana Sabesan
Amy Schreiber
Yejin Song

2. Workshop Agenda Opening remarks Introduce the topic Statistics
Activity: Guided journey
Interventions
Closing statements

3. rationale
Several research studies have been conducted to analyze the nationwide school discipline gap and the implications of this growing problem.
Important to address it now, as a way to help raise awareness and initiate open discussions
Why does it matter?
There is little research support for the belief that suspensions prevent future misbehavior
There is a strong link between suspensions & negative outcomes, such as dropping out & heightened risks to students’ mental and physical well-being.
- “Research offers little support for the theory that suspensions deter future misbehavior” (Losen, 2011, p. 14)
- “Overall, links between suspensions and negative outacomes—such as dropping out and heightened risks to students’ mental and physical well-being—raise serious questions about the justification for suspending children, especially for relatively minor violations.” (Losen, 2011, p. 15)
- Raise serious questions about the justification for suspending children, especially for relatively minor violations

4. The facts
Black students are from 3 to 7 times more likely than White students to be suspended.
Skiba et al. (2002) found that Black students were more likely to be referred to the office for subjective offenses (e.g., disrespect, threat, excessive noise), whereas White youth were more likely to be referred for objective behavior problems (e.g., smoking, vandalism).
During the 2000 school year, black students comprised 17% of the U.S. student population but accounted for 34% of out of school suspensions.
Across North Carolina, black 6th grade students are 79% more likely to be suspended for violating school rules than white 6th grade students who violate school rules.
In a study conducted by Cornell and Shirley (2011), African-American students made up 20.2% of the school’s student population, yet 60.3% of African-American students were referred for discipline as compared to 27% of Caucasian students who made up 60.5% of the student population.
- Black students are from 3 to 7 times more likely than White students to be suspended (Bradshaw, p. 509)
- During the 2000 school year, black students comprised 17% of the U.S. student population but accounted for 34% of out of school suspensions (Kinsler, p. 1370).
- Across North Carolina, black 6th grade students are 79% more likely to be suspended for violating school rules than white 6th grade students who violate school rules (Kinsler p. 1371).

5. Racial Impact of the Rising Use of Suspension
The data shows substantial increases for students of all races, with a growing racial discipline gap. K-12 suspension rates have more than dobuled since the early 70s for all non-whites. In that time, the black/white gap more than tripled, rising from a difference of 3 percentage points in the 70s to over 10 percentage points in 2006 (when more than 1 in every 7 black students enrolled was suspended at least once. (Lozen, 8-9).
Source: Loren, 2011)

6. North Carolina Black/White Suspension Rates
A review of racial and gender differences in school punishments found that white students were sent to the office more often for objective, documentable offenses, such as smoking, using inappropriate language, and vandalism.  However, African-American students were referred for behaviors that involve subjective judgment from the educator.  Examples include disrespectful behavior, loitering, or excessive noise.  “For those offenses that require a judgment call by teachers, administrators and others, Black students are disproportionately called out.  This suggests two possibilities: perhaps Black students focus their misbehavior on those types of activities that call for a subjective judgment of such misbehavior, or perhaps Black students are being unfairly singled out when it comes to prosecuting such misbehavior” (Losen, 2011, p. 11)
Source: Loren, 2011)

7. Potential causes Cultural Differences:
Common examples of African-influenced norms include animation while talking, overlapping speech, and physical interaction. White students tend to value impulse control.
Due to different norms and values, cross-cultural interactions in schools may lead to culturally based misunderstandings, which often results in disciplinary action for African-American students.
Lack of Support:
In a study conducted by Cornell & Shirley (2011), students self-reported that if they felt unsupported by teachers and classmates, they were more likely to engage in misbehavior.
Situational factors:
Various factors, including legal issues, socioeconomic status, and family structure, are commonly linked to aggressive attitudes and behavior. The high prevalence of these situational factors often results in misbehavior in school.
Based on the high volume of discipline referrals for African-American males, one would think that they are more misbehaved. However, Monroe (2006) argues, “No compelling research studies support the claim that African-American boys are more disruptive than their peers” (p. 104).
There are several potential reasons for what is perceived to be a higher level of “misbehavior” amongst African-American students:
Cultural Differences:
An example of this occurred in a study cited by Monroe (2006): “A Texas elementary school indicated that Black children engaged in play fighting and ritualized insults for amusement or self-defense, whereas teachers in the study perceived the children’s actions as authentic aggression” (p. 105).
This misinterpretation of behaviors and the consequences that come about as a result of it can have an enormous detrimental effect on black students.

8. activity
Guided Journey

9. How do we change?

10. School-wide PBIS – Positive Behavior Intervention System
Prevents behavior incidents from arising
Organized, evidence-based, data-drive (1)
Even with PBIS, we need a way to deal with behavior incidents that emphasizes:
Proactive vs. Reactive
The issue with Punitive/Exclusionary
Restorative Justice
Repairing relational harm that has been done

11. In the classroom Culturally Responsive Classroom Management
Five essential elements
Some are classroom focused while others are individually focused on the teacher
Knowledge of student’s cultural background
Including culturally diverse content

12. Use of Culturally competent strategies
Be able and willing
Teachers who employ CRCM create a classroom environment using a cultural lens
They consider how the classroom can be used to celebrate, empower, and include students of all cultures
Create a jigsaw puzzle poster made up of students’ photographs to promote class unity (2)
Use a world map to mark students’ or their families counties of origin (2)
Display posters that feature a variety of cultural groups (2)
Culturally-competent strategies are used in classroom discipline and when communicating with families
Behavioral expectations are clear and consistent
Avoids confusion that can lead to inappropriate discipline referrals
Awareness that teachers and families may have differing views & both are valid
Approach families as sources of insight into the students’ learning process

13. Knowledge of students’ cultural context
Taking steps to learn students’ cultural perspectives promotes teacher-student understanding
Increased awareness of students’ cultural background provides teachers with information on etiquette, behavior, communication styles, and types of learning
Actively resist stereotypes
Gaining this knowledge prevents unnecessary discipline referrals
How?
Students work on a family history assignment to investigate their cultural identities and share with the class
Home visits
Interact with parents and community members with an orientation to learning
Meet with your PLC/PLT and discuss what student misbehavior looks like
Create a socially just classroom environment in which students can openly engage in social justice dialogues
Meet with your PLC/PLT and discuss what student misbehavior looks like. See if some examples of misbehavior are actually students reacting to an unfair system
Create a socially just classroom environment in which students can openly engage in social justice dialogues.
For example, engage your students in conversations about school/class rules and listen to what they have to say.

14. Create a caring classroom
Extensive research has indicated that connection between establishing positive relationships with students and positive student academic outcomes (Marzano, 2003; Weinstein, et al., 2004; Madrid, 2008; Brown, 2003).
Students are much more likely to achieve when their teachers believe in them and have high expectations for them.
How?
Greeting students outside of your classroom
Greeting students outside of school
Get to know your students on a personal level
Being aware of what is going on with your students at and outside of school & commenting on important events
Asking students for feedback in order to let them know you value them as an individual with unique opinions and contributions

15. As an individual
It’s key to the CRCM approach for teachers to become AWARE:
About your own cultural identity
What is the disaggregated disciplinary data at your school?
About your own biases
Recognize your impact on your students
Evolve
How?
Write your personal story
Cultural Proficiency Receptivity Scale
Get in touch with yourself

16. scenario
The students in your class are working quietly in groups of two on a group project. You notice that the students in one of the groups are slowly raising their voices. The next thing you know, they appear to be shouting at each other. How do you handle this?

17. references
1: Rhodes, Virginia; Stevens, Douglas and Hemmings, Annette (15). “Creating positive culture in a new urban high school.” High School Journal. Spring (3): ) Metropolitan Center for Urban Education. (2008).
2: Culturally responsive classroom management strategies. New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development: New York City.