The Weeds

We need to rethink discipline in schools

06.14.2023 - By VoxPlay

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play

For many Black children, their first encounter with the discrimination that will trail them their whole lives comes from the school system — a system where they are five times more likely to attend a segregated school than their white counterparts. This early exposure to segregation is one of many possible factors contributing to what’s known as the racial achievement gap — the gap between Black and white students’ test scores. Education experts have looked to a number of factors as root causes of the gap: family income, single parenthood, school resources. Another is the disparities in school discipline. In today’s episode of The Weeds, we dig into school discipline and the achievement gap with Francis Pearman of Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education.

Read more:

Discrimination everywhere | Vox and Capital B

Abbott Elementary Recap: Janine and Gregory Sitting in a Tree | Vulture

Excerpt: Collective Racial Bias and the Black-White Test Score Gap

Schools are still segregated, and Black children are paying a price | Economic Policy Institute 

Full study: Collective Racial Bias and the Black-White Test Score Gap | SpringerLink  

Submit your policy questions!

We want to know what you’re curious about.

Credits:

Jonquilyn Hill, host

Sofi LaLonde, producer

Cristian Ayala, engineer

A.M. Hall, editorial director of talk podcasts

Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a donation to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

More episodes from The Weeds