Black children can encounter unequal school discipline before they can even read. Years after Successful Black Parenting Magazine first investigated preschool suspension and expulsion, new federal data show that Black preschoolers are still being pushed out of classrooms at alarming rates.

Original reporting by Successful Black Parenting Magazine
Updated with current federal data and pediatric guidance

The Numbers Have Changed. The Disparity Hasn’t.

A Black child can be suspended from preschool before they are old enough to tie their shoes.

That should stop us in our tracks.

Preschool is supposed to be where children learn how to share, manage big feelings, handle frustration, communicate their needs, and function in a classroom. Those are skills young children are still developing. Yet some children are being removed from those very environments for behavior they may still need adults to help them understand.

And Black children continue to be disproportionately affected.

According to the U.S. Department of Education’s 2021–22 Civil Rights Data Collection, about 1.4 million children were enrolled in public preschool programs during that school year.

Nearly 2,700 preschool children received one or more out-of-school suspensions, and approximately 370 were expelled.

Black preschoolers received out-of-school suspensions at more than twice their share of enrollment.

The disparity becomes even more striking when we look at Black boys. Black boys represented about 9% of public preschool enrollment but 30% of preschoolers receiving one or more out-of-school suspensions and 25% of those expelled.

Children with disabilities were also disproportionately affected. Preschool children receiving services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act represented 23% of preschool enrollment but 41% of children receiving out-of-school suspensions and 74% of those expelled.

That matters deeply for Black families because a child who is autistic, has ADHD, has a developmental delay, struggles with communication, or becomes overwhelmed by sensory input may have behavior adults misunderstand.

Successful Black Parenting Asked the Experts Why This Happens

Successful Black Parenting Magazine originally spoke with Georgia Thompson, who at the time was Vice President of the National Black Child Development Institute Affiliate Network and Training Institute, and Cemeré James, who served as NBCDI’s Vice President of Policy.

We asked them directly why Black children were being excluded from preschool at disproportionate rates.

The answers they gave years ago remain disturbingly relevant.

A. “Implicit biases could be a contributing factor as to why teachers resort to suspensions and expulsions more often with children of color, which, in turn, contributes to their disproportionate representation in suspensions and expulsions.”

Thompson pointed to the National Black Child Development Institute’s work with the Center for American Progress in the landmark report Point of Entry: The Preschool-to-Prison Pipeline. The report examined how racial bias can influence adults’ perceptions of children’s behavior and contribute to unequal disciplinary responses.

— Georgia Thompson, NBCDI, position at the time of the original interview

What We Know Now About Bias and Black Children

The concerns Thompson raised have not gone away.

The American Academy of Pediatrics’ 2024 policy statement on school suspension and expulsion says more than two decades of research show that Black children and adolescents are among the students most severely affected by disparities in exclusionary discipline.

Importantly, the AAP states that there is no evidence that Black students misbehave at higher rates than other students.

Black children are also more likely to be disciplined for subjective infractions such as being perceived as disrespectful, threatening, excessively noisy, or disruptive.

That distinction matters.

A broken window is observable. A weapon is observable. Whether a preschooler’s tone is “disrespectful” or whether an energetic four-year-old is “disruptive” can depend much more heavily on adult interpretation.

The AAP also discusses the adultification of Black children, in which Black children may be perceived as older or less innocent than children of the same age from other racial groups.

A preschooler is still a preschooler.

Black children deserve the same allowance to be immature, emotional, impulsive, silly, loud, frustrated, tired, overwhelmed, and still learning as every other young child.

Is Unequal Discipline a Form of Racism?

A. “Yes, this is a form of racism. When the biases of a teacher or administrator are contributing or primary factors in the decision to suspend or expel a young child, this constitutes a form of racism.”

— Georgia Thompson, NBCDI, position at the time of the original interview

Parents do not have to assume every disagreement with a preschool teacher is discrimination. Children can behave differently at school than they behave at home, and teachers sometimes see challenges parents do not.

But parents should pay attention to patterns.

Is your child repeatedly described with subjective words such as “aggressive,” “threatening,” “defiant,” or “out of control” without specific examples?

Does your child receive harsher consequences for behavior other children display?

Are you constantly being called to pick your child up early?

Are adults focused primarily on removing the behavior instead of understanding why it is happening?

Those questions deserve answers.

For more about building a strong relationship with your child’s first school, read Building a Foundation of Black Excellence in Their First Classroom.

Can Preschool Suspension Really Be Part of a Pipeline to Prison?

This is where we need to be precise.

The phrase “preschool-to-prison pipeline” does not mean that a child who gets suspended from preschool is destined to go to prison.

There is no straight line from one preschool suspension to incarceration.

The concern is the pattern of exclusion that can begin very early and continue throughout a child’s education.

When this article was originally published, James pointed to federal data showing that racial disparities in suspension did not end when children left preschool.

Current research continues to support concern about that larger pattern.

The American Academy of Pediatrics says children and adolescents affected by exclusionary discipline are at greater risk of dropping out of high school and becoming involved with the juvenile justice system.

Suspension also removes a child from instruction, disrupts relationships with teachers, and can weaken a child’s connection with school.

In preschool, the consequences extend beyond the child. A parent may suddenly have to leave work, lose wages, find emergency child care, or risk losing a job because their three- or four-year-old has been sent home.

What Does a Four-Year-Old Think When They Are Suspended?

A. “‘I’m bad’ or ‘I can’t go to school’ may likely be a young child’s perception of his or her suspension or expulsion.”

Thompson explained that young children are still developing their sense of self. Being repeatedly excluded from an early learning environment, particularly when adults have not explored what the child’s behavior may be communicating, can negatively affect social-emotional development.

— Georgia Thompson, NBCDI, position at the time of the original interview

Current pediatric guidance strengthens that concern.

The AAP says preschool suspension and expulsion can interrupt children’s routines and impose stigmatizing labels during an important stage of development. The organization also notes that suspending or expelling preschoolers is largely ineffective at reducing physically aggressive behavior.

In other words, we can remove the child without solving the problem.

Sometimes Expulsion Doesn’t Look Like Expulsion

Not every child who is pushed out of a preschool receives a letter that says, “Your child has been expelled.”

Sometimes the exclusion is less formal.

A parent may be repeatedly told to pick their child up early.

A child’s day may be shortened.

The program may continually call home whenever challenging behavior occurs.

A family may be told, “We don’t think we’re the right fit for your child,” or “We can’t meet your child’s needs,” until the parent feels there is no choice but to leave.

Whatever terminology a program uses, repeated removal means a child is repeatedly losing access to learning.

Behavior Is Communication, Especially in Preschool

A preschooler who hits, screams, runs away, refuses instructions, hides under a table, or has a meltdown may absolutely need boundaries.

But boundaries and exclusion are not the same thing.

Before adults label a young child defiant, aggressive, or disruptive, they should also ask what is happening underneath the behavior.

Is the child exhausted?

Hungry?

Overstimulated?

Afraid?

Having trouble communicating?

Struggling with transitions?

Experiencing trauma?

Having difficulty hearing or seeing?

Dealing with a developmental difference?

Showing signs of ADHD, autism, anxiety, or another issue that deserves evaluation?

A child may need help learning safer behavior while also needing adults to identify why the behavior is happening.

The AAP recommends alternatives to exclusion that include trauma-informed school practices, positive behavioral interventions and supports, restorative approaches, mental health services, stronger family-school partnerships, and training that helps educators recognize bias.

What Black Parents Can Do Before a Problem Happens

Parents should learn a preschool’s discipline philosophy before the first incident.

A beautiful classroom and impressive curriculum tell you very little about what will happen when your three-year-old bites another child, your four-year-old has a meltdown, or your child refuses to transition from one activity to another.

Those moments tell you far more about the quality of a program.

For more help evaluating a program before enrollment, read 7 Questions to Ask When You Inquire About Preschool Programs.

What Should You Do If Your Child Is Being Treated Unfairly?

A. “The best course of action for any parent is to be empowered as an advocate for change in their early learning center or school district.”

James encouraged parents to take repeated problems to leadership instead of addressing each incident in isolation.

Parents can meet with the director of the early learning program. When a preschool operates through a public school system, families may also have options through the principal, district administration, school board, special education department, or other appropriate officials.

Parents should ask to see written disciplinary policies and ask whether those policies are being followed consistently.

— Cemeré James, NBCDI, position at the time of the original interview

What About Children With Disabilities?

Parents of children with disabilities or suspected disabilities should pay especially close attention when behavior repeatedly results in exclusion.

Students with disabilities are disproportionately suspended and expelled, and the AAP specifically recommends that schools recognize protections for students served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or Section 504.

A child who is having difficulty regulating emotions, remaining seated, transitioning, communicating, or responding to sensory input may need support rather than punishment.

If your child’s preschool is connected to a public school system or your child receives special education services, ask what protections and evaluations apply in your situation.

Do not assume that a child must already have a diagnosis before you can raise developmental concerns.

Is Universal Preschool the Answer?

A. “A high-quality early education that is accessible to all children is the answer.”

Thompson emphasized that teachers need training in children’s social and emotional development as well as culturally responsive and developmentally appropriate practices.

James added another important piece: funding.

Early care and education programs are often underfunded. Programs struggling with staff shortages, turnover, large groups, inadequate behavioral support, and insufficient professional development may have fewer resources available when a child needs additional help.

— Georgia Thompson and Cemeré James, NBCDI, positions at the time of the original interview

Universal access matters, but access without quality is not enough.

Parents need programs with well-supported educators who have more options than simply telling a child to go home.

Before Choosing a Preschool, Ask About Discipline

In the original interview, Thompson urged parents to ask about disciplinary procedures before enrolling their children.

That advice may be even more important today.

Ask about curriculum and teacher training, but also ask what happens when children struggle.

A high-quality preschool should be able to explain how teachers respond to challenging behavior without making parents feel that ordinary childhood development is an inconvenience.

Talk with other parents.

Read the handbook.

Ask whether the program tracks suspensions, expulsions, and repeated early pickups.

Ask how teachers are trained to recognize cultural differences and implicit bias.

Ask how children with developmental differences are supported.

And listen carefully to how staff talk about children who have difficulty.

The language adults use can tell you a great deal about the culture of a school.

The Bottom Line: Black Children Deserve Discipline That Teaches, Not Excludes

The statistics in the original version of this article were old.

Unfortunately, the problem is not.

Black preschoolers represented only 18% of public preschool enrollment in the newest released federal data, yet they represented 38% of preschool children receiving one or more out-of-school suspensions and 33% of those expelled.

That should concern all of us.

Children need boundaries.

Teachers deserve safe classrooms and support.

Parents deserve honest communication.

And children who hurt others or repeatedly disrupt learning need adults to intervene.

But removing a preschooler from the classroom is not the same thing as teaching that child what to do differently.

The question should not simply be, “How do we stop this behavior?”

We also need to ask:

What happened?

What does this child need?

Are we treating this child the way we would treat another child doing the same thing?

And have we done everything reasonable to help this child succeed before pushing them out?

Those questions can interrupt a pipeline before it ever has a chance to form.

This article has been updated from an earlier Successful Black Parenting Magazine interview. Guest titles identify their positions at the time of the original interview. Educational, civil-rights, special-education, and child-care rules can vary by program and jurisdiction. This article is for informational purposes and is not legal advice.