Black, Latino and Asian American students are less likely to be suspended from school when they have more teachers who share their racial or ethnic background. Changing schools’ culture of discipline can also pave the way for increased inclusivity.
If you are looking for an expert to discuss trends in K-12 education, please consider Matthew Shirrell, assistant professor of educational leadership and administration, George Washington University. His research explores the relationships between policy, the social and organizational characteristics of schools and school systems, and learning, improvement, and teacher retention.
Dr. Shirrell and his colleagues have concluded that diversifying the teacher workforce could lead to significant decreases in exclusionary discipline in urban districts.
“The decrease in suspension likelihood caused by having teachers of the same race or ethnicity as students was roughly the same magnitude for Asian, Black, and Latino students – about 3%.”
Additionally, their research demonstrates the importance of learning more about the effectiveness of efforts to hire and retain teachers of color. It also shows the importance of investigating why Black, Latino and Asian American students are less likely to be suspended from school when they are taught by teachers who share their racial and ethnic backgrounds. Learning about the practices of these teachers will help educators design training for teachers that can help all teachers – regardless of their backgrounds – approach student discipline in ways that do not harm students of color
If you are looking for further context on this matter or would like to speak with Professor Shirrell, please contact GW Media Relations at GWMedia
gwu [dot] edu (GWMedia[at]gwu[dot]edu) or 202-994-6460.