Title

Even at a Young Age: Exclusionary School Discipline and Children’s Physically Aggressive Behaviors

Author(s)

Wade Jacobsen Wade Jacobsen (Pennsylvania State University)

Garrett Pace Garrett Pace (Princeton University)

Nayan Ramirez Nayan Ramirez (Pennsylvania State University)

Abstract

Exclusionary school discipline has become an increasingly common experience among US children, with rates of suspension and expulsion highest among boys, minorities, and the poor. Although well documented among middle and high school students, less is known about the prevalence or consequences among younger children. We examine rates of school discipline across gender, race, and class for urban-born children by about age nine. We then estimate the effect of school discipline on physically aggressive behavior. Results reveal severe disparities, especially among poor children where 1 in 2 black boys and more than 1 in 3 black girls have been suspended or expelled, compared to fewer than 1 in 30 non-black non-Hispanic boys or girls. We find no evidence that school discipline reduces children’s physically aggressive behaviors. Indeed, it appears to be associated with increases in such behavior, with similar effects across gender, race, and class.

Creation Date

2016-03

Section URL ID

Paper Number

16-04-FF

URL

https://kipdf.com/even-at-a-young-age-exclusionary-school-discipline-and-children-s-physically-agg_5afd96028ead0e7d268b45ba.html

File Function

Jel

Keyword(s)

Suppress

false

Series

8