To Label or Not to Label - The Special Education Question for African Americans

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by moss~

The article examines whether labeling African-American students for special education purposes benefits students or instead creates harm. It argues that categorical identification often functions as a labeling process that carries a deficit-oriented “baggage,” shaped by sociolinguistic meanings of terms such as “disability” and “learning disability.” Drawing on labeling theory, it describes how labels influence perceptions, reinforce discriminatory treatment, and can produce counter-productive educational outcomes for African-American children.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages14

Reading Time35 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Background on Special Education Mandates and Labeling

Central Argument and Key Focus

Controversial Disability Categories

The Concept of Labeling

Labeling Theory and Effects on Perceptions

To Label or Not to Label: The Special Education Question for African Americans By Moniqueka E. Gold & Heraldo Richards Moniqueka E. Gold is a professor and chair of the Department of Educational Specialties in the College of Education at Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, Tennessee. Heraldo Richards is associate dean of the College of Education at Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tennessee. Special Education was mandated for students with disabilities more than 30 years ago with the passage of P.L. 94-142 in 1975 . This monumental legislation specified categories of disabilities based on physical challenges (e.g., deaf, blindness, etc.) as well as psychological and emotional disorders (e.g., learning disabilities and serious emotional disturbance) . The premise was that categorical identification would allow for the development of individualized education programs to address students’ disabilities; hence, students were labeled accordingly. Categorization in special education became, for all practical purposes, a labeling process. Over the years, the benefits of categorically identifying and labeling students with disabilities have been debated on many grounds, particularly when it comes to labeling African-American children who many argue are over-labeled or disproportionately represented in selected categories such as learning disabilities (Artiles & Trent, 1994) . In this article, we address the following question: Is labeling African-American students for special education purposes in the best interest of these students? We argue that labeling African-American students in special education is not advantageous and can even be counter-productive. We contend thatwhatever good intentions, once students are labeled, especially African-American students, the extra “baggage” that comes with that label maybe a burden too heavy to carry. The very term “disability” suggests a deficit mode of thinking about the labeled students. Since the prefix “dis” is derived from Latin meaning“not”or“without,”theterm disability can be literally defined as“nothaving ability.” To illustrate the sociolinguistic implications of this term, when combined with the word “learning”(i.e., learning disability), the term suggests not having the ability to learn. An educational system that operates on the premise that some students do not have the ability to perform at a prescribed level can promote not only deficit thinking but also discrimination—a treatment endured too frequently by African Americans. For this group of Americans—sometimes referred to as Blacks, once upon a time as Negroes, alternatively Coloreds, and oftenbythe disparaging“N”wordwith connotations of“lazy,” “shiftless,” and “inferior”—labeling has been historically avery serious matter, often bringing with it a plethora of differential and detrimental treatment. Given this history, we assert that adding another negative label—one that linguistically and socially suggests a deficit—to these students does more harm than good. To support this stance, we examine (a) the concept of labeling,(b) the process of categorically labeling students for special education services, and (c) what happens once these students are labeled. In short, this article focuses on the negative impact of labeling for AfricanAmerican students in special education. Although there are 13 specific categories of disability defined by law, this article focuses on the controversial categories of Learning Disabilities, Serious Emotional Disturbance (includes emotional and behavioral disorders), Intellectual Disabilities (formerly Mental Retardation), and the associated subcategories. The Concept of Labeling Labeling is the assignment of a descriptor to an individual based on selected behavioral and/or physical characteristics. In society, an assigned label essentially places the individual into a specified group possessing similar characteristics. By design, a label can serve the discrimina

FAQs

What central question does the article address about special education labeling?

Whether labeling African-American students for special education purposes is in the best interest of those students.

Why does the article argue labeling African-American students can be counter-productive?

It contends that once labeled, students—especially African-American children—carry an extra deficit-oriented “baggage” that can burden them and reinforce discrimination.

How does labeling theory explain the effects of labels in society?

The article describes labeling theory as arguing that labels shape how both the labeled person and others perceive behavior, potentially creating a self-fulfilling prophecy where the labeled identity is reinforced.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by moss~