A new survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows nearly a third of U.S. high school students experience racism in school which also significantly impacts their mental health.
For the first time, the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which tracks behaviors and experiences among high school students, included a question about experiences of racism in school and its association with mental health, suicide risk, and substance use. The survey, which was distributed to 20,000 students, did not ask whether the racial interaction was with a peer or involved a school disciplinary policy, such as bans on traditionally Black hairstyles.
“Students might be experiencing racism in school because of discrimination and bias that are embedded within current school policies and practices (e.g., disciplinary practices) or as a result of interactions with students, teachers, or administrators and other staff members,” the report says.
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In 2023, 31.5% of students said they had ever experienced racism in school with non-White students reported experiencing racism in school at a rate two to three times higher than White students. More specifically, reported experiences of racism were most prevalent among Asian students (56.9%), followed by multiracial students (48.8%), Black students (45.9%), Hispanic students (39.4%), American Indian or Alaska Native (38%), and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander students (37.6%).
Among students of color, female and LGBTQ+ students were more likely to experience racism than their male or non-LGBTQ+ classmates. The finding comes on the heels of a federal report released last month by the Government Accountability Office that shows Black girls face disproportionately higher rates of school discipline in every state.
Racism Experienced by Asian Students Aligns with Pandemic Findings
James Huỳnh, an assistant professor at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, told Yahoo News that the finding that Asian students were the most likely to experience racism align with existing research related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Young Asian American Health Survey (YAAHS), an online-recruited sample of adolescents (ages 13–17) and young adults (ages 18–29) conducted during May 2021 to March 2022, found Asian people experienced an increase in racism following the pandemic.
Huỳnh said the CDC’s latest research did not distinguish whether students attended schools with students from similar backgrounds, noting experiences for an Asian student in California, which has had a large Asian-American population for decades, may differ from children who grew up in a predominantly non-Asian or White community.
“Because of that, the formation of their racial and ethnic identity can feel like it’s happening in isolation,” he said.
Racism and Its Impact on Mental Health
Overall, the survey found those who reported experiencing racism had a higher prevalence of poor mental health, suicide risk, and substance use compared with those who did not. Asian, Black, Hispanic and multiracial students who said they experienced racism also had more persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness compared with peers who didn’t experience racism.
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The survey also found Black and Hispanic or Latino students who reported experiencing racism had a higher prevalence of poor mental health, suicide risk, and substance use compared with students of their racial and ethnic group who reported never experiencing racism.
Among students of color, the prevalence of seriously considering and attempting suicide was more than two times higher among students who experienced racism compared to those who did not.
How to Mitigate Racism in School
The CDC’s report offers suggestions for mitigating racism in school, including:
- Provide professional development for teachers, administrators, and other school staff to increase awareness biases and learn how to intervene
- Prepare staff members to provide school and community-based resources to support students experiencing racism
- Address systemic inequities, like discipline practices, that can impact student mental health
- Create culturally responsive environments, including through behavior interventions and problem-solving approaches that engage families and communities
- Implement student-led affinity and intersectional groups for marginalized students to provide them with environments to discuss experiences, develop coping skills and celebrate their identities
- Ensure access to school counselors and social workers