Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice? Teacher Perceptions of Black Girls in the Classroom

Abstract

This paper uses national data on eighth grade female students and their English, math and science teachers to examine teacher perceptions of student behavior, such as attentiveness and disruptiveness. Particular attention is paid to differences in perception by student race and socioeconomic status. I find that black female students are perceived as less attentive and more disruptive than their white, Hispanic, and Asian counterparts. Controlling for academic performance and socioeconomic status mitigates the differences in perceptions of attentiveness but not disruptiveness. Further, the perceptions of attentiveness are significantly related to the probability that a teacher recommends a student for honors courses. I discuss the implications of these findings for the educational outcomes of black female students.

“See Me, See Us”: Understanding the Intersections and Continued Marginalization of Adolescent Gifted Black Girls in U.S. Classrooms

“…According to the study, teachers referred to the female student as “arrogant, bossy, domineering, oppositional, or other terms with similar connotations,” but described the male student as “smart, imaginative, independent, in need of a challenge, self-motivated, self-directed, and a leader” (p. 176). Francis (2012) found that Black girls were underrepresented for honors placement and viewed less favorably than girls from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. In this study, White female students were 19% more likely to be recommended than Black female students, and Asian females were 30% more likely to be referred for placement than Black girls.…”

“…Joseph and colleagues (2016) described how these experiences were institutionalized, promoted racial hierarchy in schools, and how these experiences affected the academic outcomes and performance of Black girls. In addition, empirical studies demonstrated that teachers’ expectations are typically lower for Black girls than White girls, and consequently, Black girls’ attitudes and behaviors tended to be severely or negatively judged by White teachers (Blake et al, 2011; Campbell, 2012; Evans-Winters, 2011; Evans-Winters et al, 2018; Francis, 2012). These experiences can affect an individual’s self-concept and social identities (Adams, 2010; Evans-Winters, 2011; Wun, 2016).…”

Behind the Eight Ball: The Effects of Race and Number of Infractions on the Severity of Exclusionary Discipline Sanctions Issued in Secondary School

“…For example, African American students are more likely to receive punitive disciplinary sanctions such as court referrals or police notification for misbehavior in the classroom (Morris & Perry, 2016). Prior research indicates that teachers perceive African American students as being more disruptive and dangerous than students of other races in classroom settings (Bates & Glick, 2013; Francis, 2012; Oates, 2009). Teachers’ perceptions of Hispanic students are less clear; some studies suggest they are not perceived differently than White students, and others find they are (Hughes et al, 2005; Zimmerman et al, 1995).…”

Understanding elementary teachers' perceptions of students of color and low socioeconomic status students

“…Existing research indicates that teachers' predictions of students' academic achievement can be accurate; however, there is little research available on teachers' perceptions of student intelligence in juxtaposition with their judgments as mediating influences (Alvidrez & Weinstein, 1999;Francis, 2012;Tyler et al, 2006). Previous research has focused primarily on Students of Color and low-income student achievement and contributing factors to those outcomes.…”

“…Teachers may view this as disruptive behavior or as insubordination (Townsend, 2000). African American females are often affected by this as their behaviors have been documented to be seen as disruptive or disobedient in the classroom (Francis, 2012). This type of offense has been grounds for a student's removal from the classroom, thereby causing alienation, the development of negative school perspectives, and perpetuating academic failure (McCray, Beachum, & Yawn, 2015;Townsend, 2000).…”