Search for a command to run...
This narrative inquiry study employed Critical Race Theory as an analytical framework to explore assistant principals’ perceptions of exclusionary discipline practices in suburban high schools, focusing on factors contributing to racial disparities and intervention strategies. The purpose of this research was to understand how systemic inequalities and biases influence disciplinary decision-making processes and to identify strategies that administrators have implemented to address disparities in exclusionary discipline practices across different student racial/ethnic groups. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight assistant principals from four suburban Texas high schools using purposeful sampling, supplemented by demographic questionnaires and analysis of publicly available discipline data from the Texas Education Agency. Through thematic analysis, six major themes were identified: racial disparities as ordinary experience, implicit bias in decision-making, structural inequality and zero-tolerance policies, intersectionality of race, gender, and socioeconomic status, restorative practices and support systems, and culturally responsive interventions. The findings revealed that while administrators recognized the existence of disciplinary disparities, these inequities had become normalized within routine practices. Zero tolerance policies created inflexible systems that disproportionately harmed marginalized students, while implicit bias continued to influence decision-making processes. However, some administrators successfully implemented restorative practices and culturally responsive interventions that emphasized relationship-building and addressing underlying causes of behavior, demonstrating potential pathways for creating more equitable disciplinary practices and reducing reliance on exclusionary measures.