Experiences of adversity among high school students who have been suspended or expelled: Systemic racism, inequity, school and community violence.

Abstract

This constructivist grounded theory study aimed to explore adverse experiences among students who are disciplinarily excluded in Ontario, Canada. Participants (n = 31) were recruited through suspension and expulsion programs across two school boards in urban and urban emergent areas of Southern Ontario. Fifteen students were interviewed, (male, n = 11; Black, n = 10; identified as having special education needs, n = 9) and 16 multidisciplinary staff. Students had consistently experienced multiple and diverse forms of adversity. Of particular note were expanded forms of adversity which included school and community violence and systemic racism and inequity. Experiences of adversity are rarely explicitly identified among students who have been suspended or expelled, particularly expanded forms. Important experiences are not conventionally acknowledged as adversity, and certain students are not viewed as traumatized by their experiences. The findings indicate a need for trauma-informed and culturally/race aware school and disciplinary approaches, research on adversity within disproportionate disciplinary, and consistent acknowledgment of expanded forms of adversity, particularly among this group of students, in research and practice.

Addressing violence against educators: What do teachers say works?

“…One possible explanation concerning these positive associations is that exclusionary practices, such as suspensions, may evoke aggression from students toward teachers, especially among students who have been exposed to adverse and traumatic experiences. For example, previous qualitative work has found that verbal and physical aggression often occurs when disciplining a student (McMahon, Davis, et al, 2020; McMahon, Peist, et al, 2020) and that students who are suspended are exposed to trauma in many forms such as community violence, racism, and aggression from law enforcement (Sanders et al, 2022). Thus, some disciplinary responses from educators may increase student stress and anxiety and result in hostility from students.…”