Subjective behavior and exclusionary discipline: a detrimental duo

School punishment, particularly suspension and expulsion, is related to a variety of negative life outcomes. Students who are excluded from school are at a higher risk of school drop-out, poor employment, and incarceration. It is important to understand the patterns of school punishment so that we can reduce the risk of negative life outcomes. The students most at-risk for school punishment are racial and ethnic minorities, boys, and students of low socioeconomic status. These groups of students are overrepresented in school punishment, and research shows that subjective behaviors play a role in this overrepresentation. Examples of subjective behaviors include defiance, disrespect, and disobedience. These behaviors occupy a grey area, and the ambiguity of these behaviors leaves room for misinterpretation and subsequent punishment.

This study addresses two main research questions that explore the relationship between subjective behaviors and school punishment. First, what is the association between race and ethnicity and subjective disciplinary referrals (i.e., defiance referrals)? Second, what is the association between race and ethnicity and out-of-school suspensions? These questions are addressed by analyzing disciplinary data from a large, Midwestern public school district during the 2018–2019 school year. In general, results reveal that non-White students are more likely to receive a subjective behavioral referral than White students, and non-White students, particularly Black students, are more likely to receive an out-of-school suspension than their White peers. Moreover, the school context plays a key role in school punishment, and improvements at the school level could lessen punishment disparities.