SPEAKING ABOUT THE UNSPOKEN

THE RAMIFICATIONS OF ZERO-TOLERANCE POLICIES FOR WOMEN OF COLOR

Kathy Mariscal & Chloe Sikes, University of Texas at Austin, Cultural Studies in Education

WHAT’S THE ISSUE?

*Image from: Smith-Evans, L., & Goss Graves, F., et al. (2014).

17% 31% 43%

QUESTIONS & INITIAL FINDINGSHow are female students of color criminalized through the implementation of zero-tolerance policies in unique ways different from men?What are the corresponding impacts for education policy?

Zero-tolerance policies’ impacts: Gender disparities Cultural racism Criminalization of communities of color

THEORYCritical Race Feminism (CRF) attends to the intersectionality of race, gender, sex and class in a non-hierarchical framework.

Critical Race Theory (CRT) argues for the critical examination of law and policy with a racial lens turned on differential power dynamics, but does not attend explicitly to gendered aspects of policy.

ZT’S GENDERED IMPACTS

*Image from: Crenshaw, K. W., Ocen, P., & Nanda, J. (2015).

Disrespect Disruption Dress- code violation

Truancy Loudness

Frequently cited infractions of Black female students and other women of color in schools.

Subjective, culturally-biased, reflect White norms of femininity, NON criminal offenses

CULTURAL RACISM

CRIMINALIZATION OF YOUTH

*Image from: Crenshaw, K. W., Ocen, P., & Nanda, J. (2015).

INVISIBILITY IN THE MEDIA

POLICY IMPLICATIONS School to prison pipeline Academic retention, devaluing and “push out” Diminished sense of security and safety in

schools Violence committed against students and

communities by schools and policy

POINTS OF CONSIDERATION ZT gender/race policy research ZT effectiveness reexamined Action research involving students most

impacted

REFERENCESCrenshaw, K. W., Ocen, P., & Nanda, J. (2015). Black girls matter: Pushed out,

overpoliced and underprotected. New York, New York: African American Policy Forum, Center for Intersectionality and Social Policy Studies.

Giroux, H. A. (2003). Zero tolerance, domestic militarization, and the war against

youth. Social Justice, 30(2), pp. 59-65.

Smith-Evans, L., & Goss Graves, F., et al. (2014). Unlocking opportunity for African American girls: A call to action for educational equity. New York, New York: The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, The National Women’s Law Center.

Teske, S. C. (2011). A study of zero tolerance policies in schools: A multi-integrated

systems approach to improve outcomes for adolescents. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, 24(2), pp. 88-97.