Tackling Equity In Disciplinary Practices

Posted by MichealH Alexander on July 4th, 2021

Zero-tolerance policies constitute a significant subject in the recent history of the U.S. educational system. In past years, teachers and other school administrators displayed biased behavior towards certain students. Their discriminatory treatment towards minority students was leading these students to devastating personal situations because of suspension from school, drug use, and yet other activities that could adversely affect their future. The Government took notice of these acts, which then prompted the introduction of zero-tolerance policies.

Olayinka Alege and his professor, J. Howard Johnston. threw light on different aspects of this heated subject in recent history to put the available information into perspective and to propagate their positive message throughout society.

They started with the exposed facts & figures collected from their findings xo yx to add weight to their points. Recent research a few years prior stated that Hispanic and dark-skinned high school students had to face stricter punishment coming from teachers at school. Teachers and school staff used to impose harsher punishment on dark-skinned students for the same mistakes for which, on the other hand, light-skinned students were being tolerated. Yinka Alege

Zero-tolerance policies decreased the violence rate, narcotics usage, and other dangerous forms of behavior which were engendering highly negative personal results for the students involved. One of the significant aspects behind all these discriminatory practices was gender discrimination. Indeed, some subsequent studies went on to show that male students were more likely to get tougher punishment from the teachers.

You will be amazed to learn that the ratio of students being suspended because of misconduct was greater for dark-skinned male students than for lighter-complexion students. It was the epitome of racism which was ongoing at many educational facilities in the U.S.

Unfortunately, the same was the case when it came to female students. Dark-skinned female students were being treated more poorly at schools in comparison to white females. And it was all due to the rampant racism that was prevalent at a dangerously high level! Yinka Alege

Now, what did these factors and discriminatory practices result in?  Low student achievement and

lasting, often even devastating effects on students and, by extrapolation, on their community

In conclusion, the writers suggested a fantastic solution for these racial & social issues. According to Olayinka Alege and J. Howard Johnston, if we want to keep our future generations safe, we will have to shift the deficit-based perspective which targets students to an academic and developmental approach encouraging them. That is the only way we can get rid of such belittling and discriminatory practices in our schools and foster student growth in a modern environment. If we abide by these suggestions, we can enjoy higher shared student achievement and overall improved student performance in school!