Rebecca Koenig Interim Senior Editorial Director | EdSurge Research
The Trump administration has signed an executive order intended to revise how schools deal with discipline, aiming to counter an Obama-era policy on school discipline disparities. The order suggests that previous attempts to make school discipline more equitable led to decreased safety in schools.
Education experts have voiced concerns about this order. They argue it contradicts evidence showing disproportionate application of discipline to Black students. "There’s such compelling evidence in education research that racial discrimination contributes to racial disparities," said Rachel Perera of the Brookings Institution. "This is an ideology of white grievance that they're trying to promote through a number of avenues, including now apparently school discipline."
Chris Curran from the University of Florida’s College of Education notes that the move is "not surprising" given current cultural debates. "What was surprising to Curran was that the Trump administration would seek to develop a blanket national policy for how schools handle discipline." He explained that historically, discipline policies have been decided at lower levels, not nationally.
According to Richard Welsh from Vanderbilt University, the order conflates school safety with discipline. "It's very important how we frame problems in educational equity because I think that will drive the type of solutions that we look for," Welsh said.
During the pandemic, Chris Curran observed that reports of student misconduct increased, contributing to calls for stricter discipline policies. Yet, the document lacks a plan for resources needed for schools to adapt to policy changes.
The executive order's vagueness has raised questions about implementation. Emily K. Penner from the University of California, Irvine, highlights this issue, stating, "They like to tell people that they need you to change, but then they don't tell you how."
The discourse surrounding the order ties into broader culture wars over education practices. Curran indicated that parental surveys show a preference for stricter discipline, but without guidance, schools may handle the new policies inconsistently. Ultimately, experts like Penner believe such an order might disrupt ongoing efforts to improve disciplinary fairness in schools.
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