Inside looking out: the K-12 school experiences of people who are incarcerated in NL

Abstract

This study explored the school-to-prison pipeline phenomenon in NL through the K-12 school experiences of people who are incarcerated, a population of people seldom heard from in this area of research. Drawing upon the theoretical frameworks of phenomenology and narrative inquiry, in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with five participants to gain insight into the impact their school experiences and experiences with exclusionary discipline had on their lives, the connections between the education and criminal justice systems, and their advice for education system. This study explored the research questions: What are the school experiences of people who are incarcerated and residing within the school-to-prison pipeline? What are their experiences with exclusionary discipline practices in school? What do these individuals feel that they would have ‘needed’ from their school experiences to aid in the prevention of them becoming prisoners? Is the school experience connected to the prison experience? What advice do these individuals have for educators and the education system? Through the lenses of labeling theory and self-worth theory, the employed framework underscores the understanding of human beings as worthy and interconnected. The findings illuminate the mechanisms of pathologization within the school system via deficit discourses embedded within institutional soft structures and explores the theme of containment, among others, as underpinning the essence of the school-to-prison pipeline metaphor. The study’s implications for educators, policymakers, and humans implore the need for the fostering of authentic relationships through relationality and a deeper understanding of the self.