Pushed Out for Missing School: The Role of Social Disparities and School Truancy in Dropping Out

Abstract

Research: The goal of this study is to understand the experiences of Black and Latino former high school students who dropped out, or were pushed out, of a large urban school district in Southern California. Specifically, this paper examines the barriers students faced that contributed to them leaving high school and their journey afterward. Thirty-nine former high school students who “dropped out”, or were pushed out of school, 61.5% males (n = 24) and 38.5% females (n = 15), were interviewed. Findings: The findings indicate the use of punitive truancy control for dealing with health and psychological needs of students, transportation issues, personnel–student relationships, and standardized testing. Examining the experiences of students who have been pushed out of school can help educators and policy makers address some of the inequities within schools. Results: We argue that pushout prevention can be developed by changing truancy and other discipline policies in schools. Implications from this study help us understand how we can better support students before they are pushed out.

School Punishment, Deterrence, and Race: A Partial Test of Defiance Theory

“…However, the sample of suspended students in this study was quite small ( n = 53) and therefore, as suggested by Pyne (2019), it is possible that any variation may have been undetected. A subsequent study by Mireles-Rios et al (2020), found, similar to Pyne (2019), that suspended students are more likely to be Black males from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. However, in her study she discovered that suspended students have lower feelings trust and social belonging than non-suspended students and that suspensions were related to later emotional disengagement from school among Black and Latino students (Mireles-Rios et al, 2020).…”

“…A subsequent study by Mireles-Rios et al (2020), found, similar to Pyne (2019), that suspended students are more likely to be Black males from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. However, in her study she discovered that suspended students have lower feelings trust and social belonging than non-suspended students and that suspensions were related to later emotional disengagement from school among Black and Latino students (Mireles-Rios et al, 2020). Given the scarcity of research on racial differences in the effect of suspension on perceived fairness and school bonding, this study will rely on Sherman’s defiance theory to examine how suspensions impact perceived fairness and school attachment and translate into poor behavioral outcomes across a sample of Black and White students.…”

“…The hope was that these indiscriminate and punitive policies would serve as a deterrent from future problem behaviors; although, much research has concluded that zero-tolerance policies are ineffective at deterring the most common problem behaviors such as fighting, disruption, and insubordination (Fissel et al 2019; Shollenberger, 2015; Way, 2011). In fact, most research finds that exclusionary discipline works to exacerbate problem conduct and thus increases the likelihood of future problem behaviors, including delinquency, dropping out of school, and criminal offending (Fabelo et al, 2011; Mireles-Rios et al, 2020; Shollenberger, 2015).…”

“…However, Ogbu (1988) notes that while education may be valued among Blacks, certain realities attenuate the school bond including: (1) a job ceiling that restricts Black employment regardless of educational attainment, (2) socialization and life experiences, and (3) objective differences in the quality of education that prevent Black youth from being competitive in the job market. Most recently, scholars suggest that the increased disciplinary attention placed on Black students serves as a mechanism of socializing youth to expect and accept increased behavioral surveillance and educational failure (Hagan et al, 2005; Mireles-Rios et al, 2020; Peguero, 2012).…”

Functional impairment guidelines for school attendance problems in youth: Recommendations for caseness in the modern era.

“…As such, SAPs are often not self-referred but rather identified (and penalized) via administrative, policy, or legal avenues (Rubino et al, 2020). In related fashion, external entities are often the cause of absenteeism by enforcing exclusionary discipline (suspension, expulsion) and overly punitive zero tolerance policies, misclassifying absences as excused (and thus avoiding administrative review or support), or using truancy policies to perniciously exclude from school vulnerable youth with mental and physical health problems, lack of transportation, low standardized testing results, and troubled relationships with peers and teachers (Mireles-Rios et al, 2020). For the purposes of discussion on guidelines, therefore, school absences for any reason (e.g., mental/physical health problem, family trip, skipping school, school exclusion, excused/unexcused) are considered absences that could cause functional impairment in key domains to help define caseness.…”