The Three Committments

Macheo Payne Ed.D., MSW.macheop@gmail.com 510-846-5402

The Three Commitments:
Critical Race Theory and
Disproportionate Suspension of Black
Males
Macheo Payne Ed.D., MSW.
macheop@gmail.com 510-846-5402

Macheo Payne, Ed.D., MSW. macheop@gmail.com 510-846-5402


Overview of Presentation

 Purpose and Intent
 Statement of Problem
 Theoretical Frame: CRT In Education
 Review of Literature: Key Themes
 Research Questions
 Research Design
 Findings: The Three Commitments



Purpose & Intent of Study

The purpose of this study is to explain the contributing factors to
disproportionately high suspension rates of black males in schools by
examining classroom teachers with effective, low-referring discipline
practices.


The intent of this study is to identify key elements of effective
discipline practices in the classroom that significantly reduce out of class
referrals of black male students, mitigating disproportionate suspension of
black male students.



Statement of the Problem

Black male students are suspended from school at a rate 2 to 3 times
more than White male students nationwide (UCLA Civil Rights Project,
2010).
Black males who have been suspended at least once, are 10 times
more likely than white students to be incarcerated. School-to-prison
pipeline (Noguera, 2003; CDF, 2008, Nicholson-Crotty, 2009) .
Black males earn college degrees at half the rate of white males. Black
males have twice the unemployment rate, 10 times the incarceration
rate, and 16 times the murder rate of White males (Kaiser, 2006).




The discipline gap is linked to low academic achievement, low
graduation rates, high dropout/pushout rates and the school-to-prison
pipeline (Noguera, 2003; CDF, 2008).
This trend has existed for 35 years and is getting worse (Skiba,
Michael, Nardo & Peterson, 2002).
Thisis a race-based issue, an equity issue, and a civil rights issue
(UCLA Civil Rights Project, 2010).
This suspension disparity begins with teacher out-of-class referrals
(Furgeson, 2010).




Current intervention policies are race-neutral and aimed
at student behavior when they should be race-based and
aimed at the institution. (Payne, 2010).
Positive Behavior Supports is the #1 intervention offered
up and at best, studies have shown that PBIS reduces
overall suspensions but disparities by race remain.



Critical Race Theory in Education

Racism is normal (commonplace) and still ever present in American
schools. By default, the laws, policies, and practices continue to benefit and
privilege “whiteness” (white students) and put non-whites at a
disadvantage.

With roots in critical theory, legal studies, feminist studies, CRT looks
beyond the symptoms of this broken system and points to the very roots of
injustice: systemic injustice based on white supremacy.



Critical Race Theory in Education

 KEY TENETS TO CRT
 Centrality of Whiteness-White ideology, values, and interests
are at the center of all aspects of dominant culture & policy
(Soloronzano, 1997)

 The Challenge to Dominant Ideology-Countering the claims that
the legal system of justice and public education is colorblind,
race-neutral and provides equal opportunity (Brown v. Board,
Affirmative Action, etc.) (Soloronzano, 1997)


Review of Literature: “The Three D’s”

 RESEARCH REVIEW (primary reasons given for suspension)

 Disruption-Interrupt teaching or learning for one or more students. This can merely
be an off task student or a student access learning outside of prescribed avenues
(asking academic questions out of turn).
 Defiance- Violating teacher direction or expectation. This can be a student moving
too slow, daydreaming or being nonresponsive.
 Disrespect-Directly challenging teacher or any offensive language or behavior. This
is often a student asking a question about pedagogy or teaching method, using
humor.
 Skiba, R., Michael, R., Nardo, A., Peterson, R. (2002). Gregory, A., Skiba, R.,
Noguera, P. (2010).


Review of Literature: Key Themes

 RESEARCH REVIEW (primary lenses)

 Teacher Bias-Hidden stereotypes compel adults to have different expectations
and treat black students differently
 Institutional Bias- Inequality is reproduced regardless of individuals in the
institution or assumed institutional intolerance of racism
 Cultural Mismatch-Black students culture is pathologized and viewed as
incompatible with the educational setting
 (Skiba 2002, Noguera 2010 and Monroe 2005)



Research Questions

1. What are the features of discipline strategies and practices
that mitigate disruption and office discipline referrals among
black male students?

2. Are there beliefs and assumptions (personal values) that
effective teachers have about their students and their behavior
that challenges race neutrality or the colorblind myth?
a. How do those beliefs support effective discipline strategies &
practices?



Research Design

 METHODOLOGY- Multiple Case Study of 2 teachers
 SELECTION: Principal nomination of effective low referring teachers
 DATA COLLECTION: Observe classroom discipline practices, follow up
interviews of teachers
 ANALYSIS: Identify effective practices for minimizing out of class referrals
 ANALYSIS: Identify underlying values and beliefs that inform effective
practices
 REPRESENTATION: Case representation of common themes



Findings: The Three Commitments

The Three Commitments
Critical Race framing of teacher practice that keeps black males in the classroom.
Effective Element Description of Element Key Features
Courageous Commitment Teachers taking extraordinary • Learning focused discipline
(addresses institutional bias) steps to ensure students stay in • Multiple avenues to access
class and learn. learning
Emotional Commitment Utilizing a wide array of tools to • Socio-emotional attunement
(addresses cultural mismatch) manage their own emotions. • Relationship building
• Emotionally struggle with
practice
Commitment to Social Justice Addressing institutional racism • Beliefs informing practice
(addresses teacher bias and toward black males at the • Personal regard for students
institutional bias) classroom level, based on & teaching
teacher beliefs & experiences. • Social justice charge



Findings: Courageous Commitment

The Courageous Commitment “If they fail, I failed.”
Teacher taking extrordinary steps to keep students in class and learning (expansive view).

Key Features Ineffective Practices

• Learning Focused • Compliance focused: Following rules &
teacher direction creates power struggles
where learning gets lost.
• Multiple avenues to access learning • ‘Out the door’ practices: Discipline that
relies heavily on threats and ‘cumulative
intolerance’ of ‘frequent flyers’
• Student centered discipline policies • ‘Set Up To Fail’ discipline policy: Rigid, one-
way discipline policies that set students up
to fail.


Findings: Courageous Commitment

Background beliefs that support this level of courage:

“I view them as the product of whatever I
am teaching them so I want them to learn as
much as they can in my class because I feel
like that's a reflection about me as a
teacher.”


Findings: Emotional Commitment

The Emotional Commitment “I’m not mad, I’m the adult.”
Teachers utilizing a wide array of tools to manage their own emotions.

Key Features Ineffective Practices

• Socio-emotional attunement • Emotionally tone deaf: Teacher misreads
or is unresponsive to student emotional
cues.
• Relationship building • Doing the minimum to get to know
students personally
• Emotionally struggle with practice • Blame outside factors: Teacher points to
external factors outside of their control as a
determinant for classroom challenges and
student failure in their class.


Findings: Emotional Commitment

“I’m not mad, I’m the adult.”

“So my students are really angry, upset and don’t know how to articulate it so
in my head theoretically what I do is I try and help them articulate why they
are angry and use that anger and divert it into action. And I think that there
are so many reasons, rightful, just reasons why they are angry that if I could
learn how to take that anger and help them articulate why they are angry and
then give them a little bit of understanding of the social, cultural, political,
context of this country, that anger could be used to fuel (the student) kicking
ass and getting an A.”



Findings: Commitment to Social Justice

Commitment to Social Justice
Responding to institutional racism toward black males at the classroom level, based on teacher
beliefs & experiences.
Key Features Addressing CRT & Literature

• Beliefs informing practice • Addresses Teacher Bias: Teacher rejects colorblind myth
Teacher can relate to institutional racism and accepts the reality of race-based inequity for black
through reflection of personal experience males in education.

• Personal regard • Addresses Cultural Mismatch: Teacher loves and
Expressed love for students and teaching appreciates the cultural and racial identity of students as
important and is personally committed to making the
educational setting culturally compatible to them.
• Social justice charge • Addresses Institutional Racism: Teacher educates for a
Deliberate attempt to address institutional higher purpose of supporting black male students to
racism and inequity. overcome institutional racism


Findings: Commitment to Social Justice

Teaching for a Purpose

“I love my students.” Both teachers expressed & demonstrated a love and empathy for
their students.

“I choose to teach in (black schools).” Both teachers chose to teach in high poverty
schools for personal and political reasons.

“I address inequality by providing access to black male student to learning and
achievement.” Both teachers integrated social justice in their academic approach.



Theoretical Tension

Although Critical Race Theory locates the root of the
problem on a systemic and institutional level, due to
researcher limitations in scope, this intervention examines
the classroom level.
It is possible that this study’s findings (the Three
Commitments) can potentially be applied not only at the
classroom level but at the institutional and systemic level
(Santa Monica Board member), however this research does
not discover those applications and further studies would
need to be conducted to explore those applications.


Directions for Further Research & Practice

Continue work with OUSD AAMA integrating the 3 C’s at
the institutional, school and classroom level
Present the 3 C’s to other districts in California (Santa
Monica, San Diego, Castro Valley, San Leandro, etc.)
working with School Boards & district leaders.
Revise findings and application into a manual and
workbook for training and compliment system to
existing efforts (PBS, RJ, RTI, etc.)


The Three Committments

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