Clearly the difference in suspension rates of White and African American students in many of the senior high schools is so broad as to constitute a serious threat to the opportunity for an equal education. Many reasons are given to explain the high rate of discipline problems among minority students, particularly African Americans. Before drawing any conclusions relative to the cause of the high rate of discipline problems and suspension and expulsion rates for non white students, it would be useful to explore the major types of student behaviors that teachers report as being unacceptable. You may recall that the claim was made that every human encounter positive or negative reflects cultural assumptions upon which communication rules are based. Teachers and other school personnel are more likely to perceive students' behaviors, including their communicative behaviors, as being disruptive and discordant when those behaviors diverge from the norms of the school.
Schools reflect culture, mainly the culture of the dominant society.
This culture, she asserts, is more congruent with some cultures than with others. Typically, it reflects the values and norms of the immediate community. Which Lead to Discipline Problems Research suggests that several categories of communicative behavior are considered unacceptable in many, if not most, school environments. While some of these unacceptable behaviors do not result in sanctions, many do. Each of the behaviors listed above may be in conflict with communication rules for a given cultural group.