Policing Black femininity: the hypercriminalization of Black girls in an urban school

Abstract

ABSTRACT Studies have documented the ubiquitous racial disparities in school discipline. However, knowledge of the unique and complex disciplinary experiences of Black girls, shared from their own voices, remains under-researched. To better understand the school policing and ‘pushout’ phenomenon for Black girls, this qualitative study examines data which explore the resulting consequences of a fight between 30 Black female students. Our findings suggest that the hypercriminalization and subsequent punitive measures inflicted on these Black girls hindered their academic experiences and that despite the threat of exclusionary discipline sanctions, these young girls fought – not because they were bad – but out of necessity. Concluding, we discuss restorative approaches and explain how Circles can help support emotional healing and educational reintegration after moments of conflict.