Exploring the Influence of School Discipline Policies on Racial Disparities in Educational Attainment in China
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53797/ujssh.v4i1.22.2025Keywords:
School discipline policies, Racial disparities, Educational attainment, Ethnic minorities, Quantitative researchAbstract
This study investigates the influence of school discipline policies on racial disparities in educational attainment among students in China, with a specific focus on ethnic minority groups. Using a quantitative research approach, data from 150 schools across urban and rural regions were analyzed to identify patterns in disciplinary actions and their impact on academic performance and long-term outcomes. The findings reveal that ethnic minority students face disproportionately harsher disciplinary measures, including suspensions and expulsions, compared to their Han peers. These disparities are more pronounced in rural schools and among students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Moreover, harsh disciplinary measures correlate with lower academic performance and reduced graduation rates, highlighting the long-term adverse effects of exclusionary practices. This study underscores the intersectionality of ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and gender in shaping disciplinary outcomes, with ethnic minority boys from low-SES backgrounds identified as the most affected group. Recommendations include adopting restorative disciplinary practices, implementing cultural competency training for educators, standardizing policies, and providing targeted support for at-risk students. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies, regional comparisons, and evaluations of alternative disciplinary approaches to address systemic inequities. These findings contribute to the growing discourse on educational equity and provide actionable insights for policymakers and educators striving to create inclusive learning environments in China.
References
Chauv, J., Gamst, G., Meyers, L. S., Kernes, J. L., & Der-Karabetian, A. (2022). Perceived discrimination and Asian cultural values are associated with beliefs about psychological services among Chinese international students. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 91, 138–149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2022.10.003
Chen, J., & Park, A. (2021). School entry age and educational attainment in developing countries: Evidence from China’s compulsory education law. Journal of Comparative Economics. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jce.2020.12.004
Dong, Y. (2024). The doubly vulnerable on the move: Educational situation of ethnic minority migrant children in urban China. International Journal of Educational Development, 107, 103036–103036. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2024.103036
Kim, S. won, Kim, E. J., Wagaman, A., & Fong, V. L. (2017). A longitudinal mixed methods study of parents’ socioeconomic status and children’s educational attainment in Dalian City, China. International Journal of Educational Development, 52, 111–121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2016.10.007
Liang, W., Liu, S., & Ye, X. (2019). Internal migrant children in Chinese classrooms: Do they influence students’ achievements? International Journal of Educational Research, 98, 106–122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2019.08.013
Liu, G., Chen, Q., Yuan, X., Qian, M., & Du, S. (2024). The association between intergroup contact and psychological capital among adolescents from Chinese ethnic minority areas: A latent profile analysis. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 102, 102053. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2024.102053
Liu, M. Y. (2023). How does globalization affect educational attainment? Evidence from China. International Economics. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.inteco.2023.03.003
Sewell, A. A., & Heise, D. R. (2010). Racial differences in sentiments: Exploring variant cultures. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 34(4), 400–412. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2010.03.001
Weng, Q., Gao, X., He, H., & Li, S. (2019). Family Size, Birth Order and Educational Attainment: Evidence from China. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3445768
Yang, W., Fan, G., & Chen, W. (2022). Socioeconomic status, cultural capital, educational attainment and inequality: An analysis based on PISA2018 Results of China, Finland, South Korea and Singapore. International Journal of Educational Research, 113, 101955. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2022.101955
Zhang, Z., Tian, Q., Hu, X., & Cheng, N. (2024). Educational attainment and family health risk behaviors. International Review of Economics & Finance, 91, 432–439. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iref.2024.01.047
Zhu, H., Xiao, Y., Xie, T., Yang, M., Zhou, X., Xiao, B., Peng, J., & Yang, J. (2024). Effects of educational attainment on comorbidity of pain and depression in Chinese older adults. Heliyon, 10(17), e37595. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e37595
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Zhengjie Li, Nor Saidi Mohamed Nasir
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
