Citation

Mendez LMR, Knoff HM. Educ. Treat. Child. 2003; 26(1): 30-51.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, West Virginia University Press)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to examine out-of-school suspensions in a large, ethnically diverse school district by race, gender, school level, and infraction type. Such an analysis was undertaken to address gaps in the suspension literature regarding how suspension rates change across school levels for students of different genders and races and what types of infractions result in suspension for students in various demographic groups. Suspension data from the 1996-97 school year was examined for all (N= 142) general education schools within one west central Florida school district.

RESULTS showed that the over-representation of Black males that has been cited consistently in the literature begins at the elementary school level and continues through high school. Black females also were suspended at a much higher rate than White and Hispanic females at all three school levels. Across school levels, most suspensions were for relatively minor misbehavior. Black males were over-represented in suspensions across almost all infraction types.

FINDINGS are discussed in terms of their implications for school discipline reform.

Language: en