Honors College Theses
Publication Date
4-30-2025
Major
Elementary Education (B.S.Ed.)
Release Option
Open Access
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Calvin Walton
Abstract
This study explores the connection between exclusionary disciplinary practices and the school-to-prison pipeline. It highlights how exclusionary discipline, including suspensions and expulsions, disproportionately affects marginalized groups such as students of color, students with disabilities, and LGBTQ youth, further contributing to the school-to-prison pipeline. In contrast, restorative justice, a non-punitive approach, offers a promising alternative. Initially adopted from the criminal justice system, restorative justice has been integrated into school environments to foster positive school climates, improve experiences, and mitigate challenging behaviors. This research examines educators' attitudes toward both exclusionary and restorative practices, as well as their awareness and implementation of restorative justice strategies. Using a comprehensive case study approach, this study aims to identify best practices for implementing restorative justice and evaluate how the decisions made by administrators and teachers regarding exclusionary discipline can significantly impact students' future trajectories.
Thesis Summary
This thesis investigates the link between exclusionary disciplinary practices in schools and the school-to-prison pipeline, emphasizing the disproportionate impact on marginalized groups. It examines how students of color, those with disabilities, and LGBTQ youth are more frequently subjected to suspensions and expulsions, which contribute to a trajectory leading from school to incarceration. The research contrasts these exclusionary practices with restorative justice, a non-punitive approach originally derived from the criminal justice system. Restorative justice has been adapted for educational settings to promote positive school environments and address behavioral issues constructively. The study scrutinizes educators' perceptions and application of both exclusionary and restorative disciplinary methods, focusing on their understanding and implementation of restorative justice techniques. By employing a comprehensive case study methodology, the research aims to uncover effective strategies for incorporating restorative justice in schools. It evaluates how the choices made by school administrators and teachers concerning disciplinary actions can profoundly affect students' future paths. The study seeks to identify best practices for restorative justice implementation to disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline, offering a hopeful alternative to traditional punitive measures.
Recommended Citation
Varnedoe, Ericka J., "Breaking the Pipeline: Exploring Exclusionary Discipline, Restorative Justice, and the Attitudes and Beliefs of Educators" (2025). Honors College Theses. 1053.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/honors-theses/1053
Included in
Child Psychology Commons, Criminal Procedure Commons, Criminology Commons, Disability Law Commons, Disability Studies Commons, Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, Educational Methods Commons, Educational Psychology Commons, Educational Sociology Commons, Education Law Commons, Elementary Education Commons, Elementary Education and Teaching Commons, Higher Education and Teaching Commons, Holistic Education Commons, Inequality and Stratification Commons, Juvenile Law Commons, Prison Education and Reentry Commons, Quantitative, Qualitative, Comparative, and Historical Methodologies Commons, Race and Ethnicity Commons, School Psychology Commons, Social Control, Law, Crime, and Deviance Commons, Social Justice Commons, Special Education and Teaching Commons
