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Teacher gender and discipline referral rates for middle level boys and girls
Abstract
School discipline is at the center of public debate concerning education. The manner in which school discipline is implemented is largely a factor of teacher value systems, philosophical orientation, and tolerance levels. Many teacher-student interactions, whether instructional or disciplinary in nature, tend to be differentiated according to gender. Additionally, some studies suggest that the extent to which this differential treatment is present in classrooms may be a factor of teacher gender. The purpose of this study was to examine middle level discipline referrals and assess the relationship between teacher gender and frequency of discipline referral, as well as degree of problematic behavior, for boys and girls. Data were analyzed from nine, middle level schools in the moderate-sized school district in the midwest by examining discipline referrals for the 1994-95 school year. This data included information on teacher gender, student gender, the reasons for the referral, and the degree to which teachers perceived these behaviors as problematic; as well as information regarding other variables including grade level and ethnicity. Significant research exists examining discipline interventions, as well as research examining the impact of gender on student/teacher interactions in the classroom; however, the relationship between teacher gender and discipline referral frequency and severity is an area of study that has received little attention. This study revealed more examples of potential bias found in schools, as well as the impact of staff gender on perceptions of students and practices related to school discipline. It was determined that boys are over-referred by more than fifty percent for disciplinary action, students of color are over-represented in disciplinary referrals by nearly fifty percent, and the grade level of the students referred appears to have an impact on the likelihood that they will be referred for disciplinary action. Additionally, male staff members over-refer students for disciplinary action by more than sixteen percent and female staff members tend to refer students for less severe types of behavior. As schools become increasingly aware of gender specific practices and perceptions, they can provide staff development interventions to increase staff sensitivity to gender issues and practices and improve their ability to offer more equitable practices for students.
Subject Area
School administration|Secondary education
Recommended Citation
Panko-Stilmock, Joy Lynn, "Teacher gender and discipline referral rates for middle level boys and girls" (1996). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI9715979.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI9715979