Latinx Parents, Latinx Students, and In-School Suspension: A Quantitative Study of School Discipline

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ABSTRACT Over the last several decades, “zero-tolerance” policies have been implemented by federal, state, and local educational systems, which have altered the culture of learning. A consequence of this “tough on education” culture is what some scholars have called the “school-to-prison-pipeline” which disproportionately impacts students of color. By using a national representative sample of Latinx students from the National Center for Education Statistics’ (NCES) High School Longitudinal Study (HSLS), and intersectionality as a theoretical framework, this paper examines the relative impact of parent-level variables, student-level variables, and key demographics on in-school suspension. That relationship is further interrogated separately for Latinx students below and above the Federal poverty line. Findings indicate that Latinx males living in poverty and Latinx students who are above the poverty line, who attend public schools, are more likely to receive in-school suspension. This suggests that structural inequities of discriminatory practices might play a larger role in secondary schools’ disciplinary procedures.