Implicit Bias and Racial Disparities in School Discipline Responses in Louisiana

Authors

• Casey L. Thomas, LSU Health Sciences Center - New OrleansFollow
• Kaylin Beiter, LSU Health Sciences Center - New Orleans
• Ashley Fenton, LSU Health Sciences Center - New OrleansFollow
• Stephen Phillippi, LSU Health Sciences Center - New OrleansFollow

Abstract

Background: In Louisiana schools, there is high incidence and racially disparate use of suspension and expulsion. This analysis assessed parish-level associations between racial disparities in school discipline and implicit racial biases. Methods: Investigators examined disparities in the proportion of Black students experiencing a school discipline outcome relative to White peers from all parishes (N=64) over four years. Implicit bias measures were derived from scores on the Implicit Association Test (IAT), which estimates a participant’s implicit associations between race categories and positive or negative feelings. IAT test date was used to stratify results by school year. The analysis included 10,652 IAT scores. Multiple linear regression modeling examined parish-level differences in school discipline outcomes as associated with IAT data. Results: Results show that implicit biases are significantly associated with racial disparities in the use of in-school suspension. Conclusion: Unconscious bias may affect school discipline decisions, suggesting the need for multi-tiered intervention.

DOI

10.59020/03770

Recommended Citation

Thomas, Casey L.; Beiter, Kaylin; Fenton, Ashley; and Phillippi, Stephen (2021) "Implicit Bias and Racial Disparities in School Discipline Responses in Louisiana," Journal of the Louisiana Public Health Association: Vol. 2: No. 1, Article 9.
DOI: 10.59020/03770
Available at: https://digitalscholar.lsuhsc.edu/jlpha/vol2/iss1/9