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.