Editorial: Structural Determinants of School Discipline: A Call to Action

Although the classroom is meant to be a space for learning and growth, decades of research has shown it to be a battleground for many Black youth, as disparities in school disciplinary actions continue to fuel cycles of academic failure, impaired development, and psychological distress.¹ Studies have found that Black youth face significantly higher rates of detention and suspension than their White peers, and this disparity is rarely due to individual-level characteristics such as externalizing symptoms (acting out), special education, or familial characteristics.¹ These disparities are deeply rooted in systemic bias and racism, which manifest through inequitable school policies, educator perceptions, and broader structural inequities that disproportionately target Black youth for punitive disciplinary actions.².