The Case for an Intersectional Approach to Trauma-Informed Practices in K–12 Schools for Black Girls.

This article focuses on the disproportionate exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among Black girls in the United States and its relationship to their higher rates of school suspension compared with White girls and other girls of color. Using 2016–2019 data from the National Survey of Children's Health, the study found that Black girls have significantly greater risk for six to seven out of nine measured adversities, including family income difficulty, racial/ethnic discrimination, parent incarceration, and neighborhood violence. The findings highlight the need for school-based trauma-informed practices that are intersectional—addressing the combined impacts of race and gender—and culturally responsive to the unique adversities faced by Black girls. The article argues that without such tailored approaches, trauma-informed interventions risk being insufficient and may perpetuate punitive discipline practices that fail to support Black girls' socioemotional well-being.