No Safe Space: School Climate Experiences of Black Boys With and Without Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

Reconceptualizing school safety for Black students

“…Experiences of racial unfairness can be accompanied by peer victimization and racial incivility among peers in schools, further limiting the options for safe environments for Black students (Griffin et al, 2017; Lacoe, 2015). Experiences of peer victimization can also be compounded by discrimination on the basis of other identities, as Black boys with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) reported significantly more peer victimization than Black boys without EBD (Collins et al, under review). As such, it is incumbent upon school staff to establish school cultures that see and value Black students’ intersectional identities and school environments that ensure Black students’ physical and emotional safety.…”

Students with disabilities' perceptions of school climate: A systematic review

“…One study used a qualitative design (Lopez et al, 2016). Three studies cited a theoretical framework that guided their study design, including dis/ability critical race theory (Collins et al, 2022), minority stress theory (Ryabov, 2020), and an adapted community violence framework (Kirksey & Sattin-Bajaj, 2021). One study was published in 1999 (Jones & Bodtker).…”

“…Of these studies, three provided information regarding the types of disabilities that were represented in their sample (Jones & Bodtker, 1999; Rifenbark et al, 2021; Sakiz, 2017). Five studies specifically analyzed school climate perceptions of students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD; Collins et al, 2022; Gage et al, 2021; La Salle et al, 2018; Marsh et al, 2019; Ryabov, 2020), and one study interviewed students with intellectual disability (ID; Lopez et al, 2016).…”

“…Gender/sex was reported for SWD in four studies. Of these articles, 2106 students identified as male, and 1508 students identified as female (Collins et al, 2022; La Salle et al, 2018; Rifenbark et al, 2021; Sakiz, 2017). No studies reported information for transgender or non-binary identifying students.…”

“…Students with disabilities (SWD) often experience disparities in school-related outcomes due to marginalization, as common systems and policies are not established to promote their success. Recently, researchers have suggested school climate often serves as a construct that works to sustain inequity in schools, making it a potential vehicle for change (Collins et al, 2022). Though multiple researchers have surveyed and evaluated SWD's perceptions of school climate, this information has yet to be synthesized to form a cohesive understanding of the populations' experiences and needs.…”