Middle school students’ experiences with inequitable discipline practices in school: The elusive quest for cultural responsiveness

Abstract

Research indicates that school discipline practices are inequitable based on student race, class, and gender; yet, few studies highlight students’ voices regarding their experiences with these practices. Further, we know that positive teacher–student relationships are a significant factor in student academic achievement and success. This article presents qualitative data from 40 middle school youth who participated in five focus groups in one midwestern suburban school district. Findings indicate that students understand their experiences with teachers’ discipline practices as culturally biased and inequitable. The article explores the importance of middle grades educators taking a critically reflective approach to the ways their discipline practices are shaped by their conscious and unconscious understandings and enactments of race, class, and culture in school. The article also discusses the importance of pre- and in-service middle grades educators implementing culturally relevant and restorative discipline as a way to reduce teacher referrals for minor infractions.