Breaking the cycle: the long-term impacts of punitive policies on the academic trajectories of students of color in the Salt Lake school district

This research delves into the punitive policies within five public schools of the Salt Lake School District and the ramifications of these policies on the academic trajectories of students of color. Through a quantitative analysis of disciplinary referrals, this study sheds light on the disproportionate representation of students of color within the disciplinary system and the systemic, racialized biases embedded within the educational system. The research examines the referral patterns of the diversion program, Salt Lake Peer Court, aiming to understand how punitive measures intersect with race and contribute to the overrepresentation of youth of color in the juvenile court system in Utah. By uncovering these disparities, this study calls attention to the urgent need for reforming disciplinary practices in order to create equitable learning environments that are conducive to the academic success of all students.