Date of Award

Fall 12-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Program/Concentration

Educational Leadership

Committee Director

Steve Myran

Committee Member

Jason Saltmarsh

Committee Member

Shonda Windham

Abstract

Despite efforts to address profound discipline disparities impacting Black students, the implementation of alternative disciplinary approaches like Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and Restorative Justice (RJ) has failed to eliminate significant disproportionality in school discipline. This study investigates how teachers navigate the challenges of disciplining Black students within a paradoxical school environment that juxtaposes equitable, human-centered methods with a historically rooted managerial paradigm emphasizing uniformity and zero tolerance. Drawing upon systemic racism and the concept of 'apprenticeship of observation,' this study explores how teachers' implicit biases about Black students are formed by long-held institutional norms and personal experiences. It then explores how these deeply ingrained biases influence their disciplinary decisions. Findings from this qualitative study identify the factors that perpetuate these disparities and inform the development of more equitable and effective disciplinary practices.

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DOI

10.25777/swrr-2w77

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