The arbitrary and capricious arrests of the 10 Hobgood Elementary School students in Murfreesboro, Tennessee for not breaking up an off-campus fight was the city’s missed chance to address its racially discriminatory school disciplinary practices. While the coalition of city administrators and community leaders “supposedly” came to a resolution that led to the juvenile charges being dropped, research suggest that further inquiry into the nature, degree and extent of the school district’s disciplinary approaches is warranted. Though dismissing these charges are laudable, I argue that Murfreesboro City School’s Disciplinary Policies, their application and subsequent impact need much more inquiry before we close this chapter.
Despite lacking evidentiary support for the effectiveness on school behavior and safety, school suspensions and arrests remain a commonly utilized approach. Even the American Academy of Pediatrics found these administrative actions to be “increasingly questionable”. In fact, a burgeoning body of research highlights the negative impact of such school disciplinary approaches. As indicated in the Table below, African American students are the only racial/ethnic group disproportionately referred to law enforcement or arrested for behavioral issues during school hours. It should be noted that a student’s odds of graduating are reduced by 20% each time they are suspended from school (Balfanz, Byrnes, & Fox, 2014).
This school disciplinary issue has become so “pervasively absurd” that many schools now extend these practices to preschool students (see Table below).
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, Civil Rights Data Collection, 2011–12.
After a review of Murfreesboro’s school disciplinary infractions, it is evident that this issue is worthy of further consideration. The “unbridled discretion” of a school resource officer, on a group of predominantly Black elementary school kids, further motivates the need to understand the true nature of prescribed systematic responses. As such, we must always be in a position to answer the following fundamental questions:
- Why is there not a city-wide database of Murfreesboro school disciplinary infractions and arrests made available for objective, public inquiry, similar to those found in other states, printed yearly in the Daily News Journal?
- Are Black and Hispanic kids in Murfreesboro more likely be disciplined and arrested than non-minority youth?
- How do Murfreesboro City Schools compare to state and national averages, controlling for teacher, student and administration demographics, cultural differences and leadership styles?
- Are the Murfreesboro City School teachers and administrators culturally competent and how is this determined?
- What is the effect of being disproportionately disciplined and arrested while at school?
Let us not be consumed with the conclusion of this Hobgood incident, as troubling as it may be. We must remain focused on the broader, systemic and repressive policies that allow these events to occur.
Yes, it is noteworthy that these students had their charges dropped, but there remains a need to understand the state of racially-equitable school disciplinary approaches. I contend that a more transparent approach needs to be taken. Though the Murfreesboro City School Board should be applauded for making an effort to address this particular case, there is a need to adopt an approach that would provide greater levels of transparency regarding disciplinary approaches and outcomes. Murfreesboro City Schools can serve as a model for the utilization of an evidence-based approach to a long-standing issue with many empirically supported, consequences.
In the aftermath of the arrest of these 10 children – it is critical that we understand the state of school disciplinary infractions and their effect. To do that will require a common-sense approach. Culminating with a conversation between the School District and a few preachers behind closed doors is a mistake that will affect countless other school-aged children who will undoubtedly be sacrificed at the alter of misguided educational approaches.
While some have argued for a call to action, police review and conversation, there must be greater access to the nature and extent of school disciplinary infractions. By doing so, a more functional evidence-based approach can be taken towards the development of equitable policy-oriented solutions.