"Behind Closed Doors": Identity and Influence in State-Level Legislative Decision-Making on School Discipline

This thesis critically examines state-level legislative decision-making in Virginia, New York, and Texas, with a particular focus on school discipline reform. Specifically, it explores the extent to which the race and gender of state legislators correlate with policy decisions concerning disciplinary practices in public education. Through a rigorous analysis of legislative actions and policy outcomes, this study interrogates the role of "diversity, equity, and inclusion" as a mechanism for addressing systemic inequities within a multicultural society. Through an observational study of three states, this thesis reveals how legislative priorities shape school discipline policies, thereby highlighting the importance of cultivating a diverse and representative state legislature. It argues that increased legislative diversity can serve as a critical tool in dismantling the School-to-Prison Pipeline and mitigating systemic disparities within public education.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Political Science

Department dc:contributor.department

Political Science

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Barnes, Jordan Isaiah

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Kitchens, Karin E.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Brunsma, David L.
• Faulkner, Brandy S.

• descriptive representation
• substantive representation
• zero-tolerance bills
• school-to-prison pipeline
• legislative decision-making

Statement dc:rights

• Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

vt_gsexam:45490

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/140023