Inequities in school discipline and school policing have long been documented by researchers and advocates. Longitudinal data indicate clearly that students who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) are punished and policed at higher rates than their white classmates. For students who have disabilities, especially those with intersectional identities, the impact of school discipline and policing is amplified, resulting in disparities at some of the highest rates across multiple categories.
A new journal article in the American University Law Review examines two sometimes-overlooked drivers of health inequities — school discipline and policing — through a health justice framework. Written by ChangeLab Solutions' Alexis Etow and Cesar De La Vega in partnership with Thalia González, the article describes how the application of health justice to discipline and policing is an essential first step in developing a more comprehensive approach to eliminating entrenched health inequities that have affected BIPOC students as well as students who have disabilities.
7/12/2022