In Support of Black Girlhood: An Analysis of the Disproportionate Punishment of Black Girls’ Identity Inside of Schools

This research argues that the perception of the social construction of Black girlhood results in Black girls being disproportionately punished in school classrooms. Black girls are punished due to how they express Black girlhood and how others view this expression. Their identity has been forged by the historical position of Black women in white and Black society. This identity often manifests itself in ways that resists oppression. Because expressions of Black girlhood is threatening to white patriarchal institutions, falsified narratives of this expression, such as the jezebel and the angry Black woman, allows for Black girls resistance to be viewed as deviant and worthy of punishment. By using case studies and ethnographies of other scholars, this research hopes to show that the expression of Black girlhood is critical to Black girls’ survival and is not inferior, deficient, or punishable