Two recent reports highlight the ongoing issue of racial disparities in school discipline and its direct impact on Black students’ academic success. The data reveals a troubling trend: Black students face harsher disciplinary measures at significantly higher rates than their White peers, creating an environment where learning and achievement become secondary to survival within the school system.
Discipline as a Barrier to Success
Black children routinely experience excessive disciplinary actions that not only disrupt their education but also contribute to long-term psychological and academic setbacks. In recent years, alarming incidents of school violence against Black students have captured national attention. In 2019, a Minnesota teacher segregated Black students in her second-grade classroom and physically assaulted one. A year later, in Orlando, police handcuffed and arrested a 6-year-old girl for throwing a tantrum. The shocking footage of her pleading for help underscored the severity of such measures. More recently, in December 2024, an 11-year-old boy in Savannah, Georgia, was violently thrown across a classroom by his teacher after confronting the educator about inappropriate comments regarding his mother.
Beyond these high-profile cases, Black students face systemic barriers. In the 2023–24 school year, a Houston-area school district suspended high school student Darryl George for wearing his natural hair in locs, a clear example of discriminatory policies disproportionately enforced against Black children. These incidents are not anomalies but part of a broader pattern of racialized discipline.
The Data: A Widening Divide
The 2025 Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) and the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) report provide statistical evidence of this troubling trend.
- School-Related Arrests: Black students accounted for 31% of school-related arrests in the 2020–21 school year. That number increased to 33% in 2021–22, despite Black students making up only 15% of the K–12 population.
- Corporal Punishment: Among Black boys, rates of corporal punishment increased from 18% in 2020–21 to 20% in 2021–22.
- Academic Performance Declines: Between 2020 and 2023, Black students experienced a 13-point drop in math and a 7-point drop in reading scores. By contrast, White students saw only a 6-point decrease in math and a 4-point decrease in reading. The achievement gap grew from 35 points in 2020 to 42 points in 2023.
“The data points are no coincidence,” said Rhianna Scyster, an education policy expert and founder of the Jacksonville Policy Engagement Group. “The link between increased discipline and decreased academic performance cannot be ignored. These practices are systematically removing Black students from the classroom, which directly stunts their academic growth.”
Implicit Bias and Over-policing in Schools
Decades of research have demonstrated that Black students are more likely to be disciplined for subjective behaviors labeled as “defiant” or “disruptive.” White students engaging in similar behaviors often receive warnings or lighter consequences.
“Implicit bias plays a major role in this disparity,” Scyster explained. “Black boys are frequently labeled as ‘aggressive’ for normal childhood behavior, while Black girls are adultified and seen as ‘too mature’ for their age. This results in more severe punishments.”
Additionally, predominantly Black schools tend to have higher police presence but fewer counselors and support staff. This over-policing leads to a cycle where Black students are disproportionately funneled into the criminal justice system.
Solutions: Shifting the Narrative
To address these inequities, Scyster and other education experts advocate for systemic reforms:
- Eliminating Out-of-School Suspensions for Young Children: Studies show that suspensions as early as third grade increase the likelihood of continued disciplinary action throughout a student’s academic career.
- Implementing Restorative Justice Practices: Schools that have adopted mediation and student engagement programs over punitive measures report significant reductions in suspensions and arrests. In 2023, the National Education Association found that schools using restorative justice saw a 35% drop in student arrests and an 18% decrease in out-of-school suspensions.
- Rewriting School Codes of Conduct: Removing subjective terms such as “disrespect” and “disruption” can prevent biased enforcement.
- Reducing Police Presence in Schools: Redirecting resources toward mental health support and guidance counseling can create a safer, more supportive learning environment.
- Establishing a Discipline Accountability Review Board: Involving students in discussions about disciplinary policies ensures that their voices are heard.
A Call to Action
“If we are making decisions about students, they need to be in the room, too,” Scyster emphasized. “We cannot have these conversations without including the very people affected by them.”
As Black students continue to face disproportionate disciplinary actions, educators, policymakers, and communities must work toward systemic change. The goal must be to close the achievement gap and create a school environment where Black children feel safe, valued, and empowered to succeed.