UCLA

The stories that appear in this dissertation present a microcosm of the outcomes associated with exclusionary school discipline policies throughout the United States. Every year, U.S. schools exclude millions of students from school by use of suspension or expulsion. While exclusionary discipline rates have dropped in recent years, quantitative data fails to provide a comprehensive analysis of the context in which students are removed from school and later reinstated. School discipline studies rarely include student accounts; even less is documented about post-exclusion experiences of students who have not been confined or those entering traditional school settings, particularly expelled students. This paucity in research fails to contribute to our understanding of challenges and successes experienced by returning students at various phases of readmission to school and misses nuances associated with exclusionary discipline.

Acknowledging and effectively addressing the educational needs of returning students requires research such as the present study. This qualitative study adds a new dimension to existing research on exclusionary discipline by documenting the experiences and reintegration processes faced by students who are readmitted into their original district. This study highlights student voice and analyzes the complex outcomes of exclusionary discipline measures, the challenges and opportunities returning students experienced, and how schools might support students during and after expulsion. Symbolic interaction helps us understand how meaning is co-constructed through interaction between individuals; students interpret and define these exchanges. As this study reveals, expelled students had a positive attitude about reinstatement that conditions and a lack of support quickly dashed. Students’ narratives illuminate the complex needs and subtle academic, social, and personal consequences of exclusionary discipline. This dissertation concludes with methodological and theoretical contributions. I argue for a comprehensive account of school discipline that includes an examination of the interactive and complex factors associated with student reentry. With specific policy proposals for reform, I hope to aid policy makers, educators, parents, and advocates to reflect on current disciplinary practices and work toward student discipline policies that keep students in school while promoting safe and secure learning environments to serve the needs of every student.