Authoritarianism and Policing in Today's Schools: Implications for School Social Work Practice

Background and Purpose: School policing and other authoritarian practices aimed at improving safety are increasingly being used in United States schools, particularly in urban schools that serve disadvantaged youth. However, research has yet to examine how levels of authoritarianism in schools might affect students’ academic performance through its influence on students’ feelings of safety and connectedness. This study makes one of the first attempts to examine the relationship between authoritarian practices in schools and student performance and engagement; an examination that has significant implications for social work and mental health practice in today’s schools. The purpose of this presentation is to determine how school social workers might be able to improve student academic performance and engagement by enhancing students’ feelings of safety and connectedness in schools that rely on authoritarian safety interventions.

Methods: Data were drawn from the National Crime Victimization Survey School Crime Supplement, a nationally representative sample of students in United States schools. Middle and high school students in public schools (n = 4,992) were included in analyses. Mplus7 was used to perform Structural Equation Modeling and determine: 1) How authoritarian practices influence students’ feelings of safety and connectedness; 2) How students’ feelings of safety influence students’ extracurricular engagement and academic performance; and 3) The extent to which feelings of safety and connectedness in school moderate the relationship between authoritarianism and student academic engagement and performance.

Results: Both measurement and structural models revealed exceptional fit. Results of the structural model suggest authoritarian practices are negatively associated with students’ feelings of safety (B = -.20; 95% CI [-.25, -.14]; p < .001) and their feelings of connectedness (B = -.08; 95% CI [-.12, -.03]; p < .01). Students who felt more connected to their schools were significantly more engaged in extracurricular activities in their schools (B = .34; 95% CI [.28, .40]; p < .001). Students’ feelings of safety (B = .10; 95% CI [.03, .15]; p < .001) and connectedness (B = .17; 95% CI [.11, .24]; p < .001) in school were both positively associated with academic performance. Student engagement in school activities and academic performance were strongly correlated (B = .56; 95% CI [.43, .69]; p < .001). The relationship between authoritarianism and student engagement was significantly moderated by students’ feelings of connectedness (B = .02; 95% CI [.00, .04]; p< .05).

Conclusions and Implications: Results yield information that can assist school social workers in meeting the grand challenge of achieving equal opportunity, equity, and justice for all youth in today’s schools. School social workers must take steps in developing and implementing practices that are supportive and nurturing for their students with the goal of improving academic engagement and performance. Findings suggest practitioners should consider student-level interventions targeting improved feelings of safety and connectedness when addressing student needs, particularly in schools that rely heavily on authoritarian and policing practices. Specific strategies and recommendations for school social work practice in today’s schools will be discussed and implications for practice, education, and research will be provided.