Moving the Field Forward in Addressing Educator Biases Related to Intersectional Oppressions Through Mindfulness Training

Abstract

Disparities in school discipline based on student race and disability status remain a major barrier to achieving educational equity. In addition to systemic factors, research suggests that educators’ racial and labeling biases may also be partially responsible for exacerbating these inequities. This article presents a novel mindfulness-based training approach to address bias as it manifests in school discipline at the intersection of race and disability status. Grounded in psychological research on dual process theory, the paper reviews the mental mechanisms responsible for biased thinking in the context of school discipline for multiply-marginalized youth. Mindfulness-based interventions are explored as one approach to reducing the effects of educators’ biases on discipline decisions for students experiencing multiple marginalizations at the intersection of race and disability status. Review of initial evidence pointing to the efficacy of this approach is discussed, suggesting that mindfulness-based training may reduce the effects of bias in schools. Implications for research and practice are then shared, including recommendations for implementing mindfulness-based interventions to advance equity by centering multiply-marginalized youth in schools.