Racial disproportionality in disciplinary practices has persisted in United States schools for decades. Students of color are consistently overrepresented in school discipline referrals, suspensions, and expulsions. These exclusionary discipline practices alienate students and set them on the pathway to disengagement and potential dropout from school. Despite extensive research attention, there is very little understanding of the perspectives of students with exclusionary discipline experiences. Thus, the purpose of this study was to build on the current body of research to bring new insights to the education field about the experiences of students who have been excluded from school for disciplinary reasons, including their perceptions of what happened prior to, during, and after the suspension. By giving students a voice, I offer a deeper understanding of how students, including students of color, experience and talk about school discipline. This analysis provides new insights for future research on racial disproportionality. It also provides potential solutions to exclusionary discipline practices in schools from the perspectives of students who have been subjected to those practices. For this phenomenological study, I conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with seven students who experienced exclusionary discipline in one of two school districts. Among the findings, students described their experiences of exclusionary discipline as unfair, citing a lack of communication and an "out of control" culture in the school. Students of color particularly felt targeted by adults, with adults expecting them to reoffend and labeling them as "bad." Punitive decision making by principals caused strained relationships between students and educators in the study. I also found participants placed little value on their suspension from school. The suspension caused them to fall behind in their work, with limited material being provided by the school, and parents became frustrated because the student was home alone. Participants described teachers instigating a reaction to escalate their behavior and ultimately remove them from class, causing them to feel uncared for and unheard. When participants were asked to describe supports to prevent school suspensions, they described a strong desire to stay in school, with rooms available to problem solve and access and support available to complete their schoolwork. In addition, the findings of the study demonstrated that a trusting environment where adults are open to problem-solving and open communication is critical for student success in school. When students are heard and acknowledged, and positive relationships are built between students and teachers, all students can thrive and learn. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]