An examination of the influence of school discipline, race/ethnicity, and gender on students' attitudes toward school

Of interest to school counselors are the variables associated with academic success and failure among high school students. This study examined the effects of school discipline (overnight suspension, in-school suspension, out-of-school suspension, and recommendation for expulsion), race/ethnicity, and gender on students' attitudes toward school. Five research questions guided the study: (1) Do school discipline, race/ethnicity, and gender predict academic self-perceptions? (2) Do school discipline, race/ethnicity, and gender predict students' attitudes toward teachers? (3) Do school discipline, race/ethnicity, and gender predict students' attitudes toward school? (4) Do school discipline, race/ethnicity, and gender predict goal valuation? (5) Do school discipline, race/ethnicity, and gender predict motivation/self-regulation? Participants were tenth and eleventh graders enrolled in three SC public high schools during the 2010--2011 academic year. Respondents completed the School Attitude Assessment Survey-Revised and a demographic questionnaire. A descriptive, correlational methodology was be used in this quantitative study. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analyses. Overnight suspension was a significant predictor of attitudes toward teachers. Gender and recommendation for expulsion were significant predictors of goal valuation. Gender was a significant predictor of motivation.