Inequity in Education: The Impact of Teacher Identity and Attitudes

Abstract

Black students are disciplined at a greater rate than students from any other ethnic group or race beginning in preschool. According to Fenning and Rose (2007), disparities in discipline rates have been a problem for over 30 years. Research indicates that racial issues may underlie disproportionate discipline rates (Saft & Pianta, 2001; Skiba et al., 2000; Chen, 2013). This session will present research from a doctoral dissertation examining the ways White teachers perceive and respond to student behavior based on race. Participants in the study were 125 White teachers from school districts in New England that reported disproportionate discipline rates. Findings from this study have implications for the field of education and the problem of disproportionate discipline rates. Using activities based upon the Kagan Model for Cooperative Learning, participants will self-reflect on their own beliefs and biases, use multiple lenses to review information shared by others, and collaborate in small and large groups to offer take-away strategies to disrupt inequities in education.