Middle School Expulsion Heightens the Risk of Delinquency

Key points

Exclusionary discipline has negative impact on vulnerable teens.

Suspension and expulsion are not equitably distributed across race and other factors.

Expulsion can lead to low self-esteem, alienation, and a downward trajectory.

Schools need additional resources to be able to support struggling students instead of ejecting them.

When a child is unruly or disruptive at school, failing classes, or repeatedly absent without explanation (truant), suspension or expulsion is often the disciplinary response. It is easy to understand that the central considerations for schools are the overall learning environment and the entire population of students, faculty, and staff. Schools that are overburdened or under-resourced, or that have inflexible policies, may move immediately to an e