Excluded and Erased: The Conspicuous Absence of Native Children in Research on School Discipline Disparities

Despite extensive scholarly and policy attention to the phenomenon of racially disparate school discipline, its negative effect on academic achievement, and its relationship to later criminal system involvement and incarceration, little has been written about the experiences of Native youth. This article seeks to bring attention to Native youth in the scholarly conversation about school discipline disparities. It summarizes extant research and data showing that Native youth disproportionately experience exclusionary discipline. It identifies barriers that may contribute to the lack of in-depth research on Native youth. Finally, it describes theoretical insights gleaned from the small subset of school discipline research focused on Native youth that can enrich future work.