Why Do Smart Black Girls Get In Trouble?

Abstract

The question of why smart Black girls get in trouble is in need of an answer, particularly when the answer is provided from a smart Black girl’s perspective. In the past decade, researchers have suggested that school bonds amongst students and between students and adults can have a direct impact on the success of the student (Roorda, 2011). This research is particularly relevant as it pertains to school bonds for high achieving students of color within urban school environments (Archer-Banks, 2012; Eisele, 2009). Directly related to this conversation is how school bonds or teacher-student relationships are impacted by school discipline policies and how these policies affect student performance and perception towards school. The school discipline research speaks to clear disparities which suggest that students of color are disproportionately targeted and are frequently given more severe punishments than their peers (Crenshaw et al., 2015; Kinsler, 2010; Monroe, 2005; Townsend, 2000). While Black boys surpass all other students in terms of disproportionate disciplinary sanctions in school, Black girls are not far behind as the most highly targeted race amongst female students (Black et al., 2011; Jordan et al., 2009; Monroe, 2005). With the questions: how do high achieving Black female students conceptualize the cause of their own actions as they navigate classrooms and corridors especially behaviors categorized as discipline issues and 2) what effect does the institution’s discipline of them or their experience of that discipline have on their future aspirations, this study builds on the literature about the self-expressed experiences of African American girls by interviewing eight participants who fit the seemingly contradictory criteria of being high achieving students involved in excessive disciplinary infractions. The study finds that students identify two key areas as propellers of their misbehavior: a contentious teacher-student relationship and personal stress caused by home related issues or negative relationships with peers. Students expressed clear frustration with the discipline policies and felt that past discipline practices did not consider what caused misbehavior resulting in unfair discipline consequences. In fact, students often labeled the school as being unaware of their true self. Despite the high frequency of their involvement with the discipline system, most participants’ view of their personal self was not negatively impacted and all students had positive views of their future success.