(2013). Theoretical Considerations for Art Education Research with and about "Underserved Populations". Studies in Art Education: A Journal of Issues and Research in Art Education, v54 n4 p294-309 Sum. Though it is widely used, the concept of "underserved" is sorely undertheorized in art education. Before the field of art education can effectively address the persistent educational disparities across different sociocultural and economic groups, we need deeper understandings of entangled sociocultural and political processes that create and conceal underservedness. The term "underservedness" moves us away from conceiving of populations, and instead draws attention to cultural articulations and material conditions that prevent certain groups from fully accessing and benefiting from the resources and opportunities for effective education, including high-quality art experiences. In this article, the authors discuss four theoretical perspectives–critical race theory, intersectionality, critical multiculturalism, and social justice education–that can foster nuanced analyses and cogent explanations of art education in the context of underservedness. The discussion… [Direct]
(2013). Interest-Divergence and the Colour of Cutbacks: Race, Recession and the Undeclared War on Black Children. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, v34 n4 p477-491. Drawing on Critical Race Theory (CRT) and illustrating with examples from the English system, the paper addresses the hidden racist dimension to contemporary education reforms and argues that this is a predictable and recurrent theme at times of economic crisis. Derrick Bell's concept of "interest-convergence" argues that moments of racial progress are won when White power-holders perceive self-interest in accommodating the demands of minoritised groups; such moments are unusual and often short-lived. Presently, we are witnessing the reverse of this process; a period of pronounced "interest-divergence," when White power-holders imagine that a direct advantage will accrue from the further exclusion and oppression of Black groups in society. Behind rhetoric that proclaims the need to improve educational standards for all and celebrates a commitment to closing the existing achievement gaps; in reality education reforms are being enacted that systematically… [Direct]
(2013). Raising Teenagers in Hostile Environments: How Race, Class, and Gender Matter for Mothers' Protective Carework. Journal of Family Issues, v34 n6 p719-744 Jun. In contemporary discourse, children are imagined with "surplus risk," and parents often feel pressure to protect their children from danger. Drawing on interviews with 40 Latina, White, and Black mothers of teenagers, the authors examine the factors that shape these mothers' concerns for their teens' safety, how they articulate these concerns, and the strategies they employ to try to keep teens safe: individual responsibility, monitoring, and organized activities. Drawing on insights from Black feminism and critical race theory, the authors demonstrate how the intersections of race, class, and gender shape mothers' perceptions of the dangers their children face and their efforts to help their children navigate these "hostile environments." Findings reveal intersecting axes of inequality in mothers' protective carework as well as how inequalities are resisted, but may also be reproduced, through mothers' understandings and strategies. The benefits and challenges of… [Direct]
(2013). To Lift as We Climb: A Textbook Analysis of the Segregated School Experience. High School Journal, v96 n3 p209-231 Feb-Mar. In this paper we share findings of a textbook analysis in which we explored the treatment of segregated education in eight, widely-used secondary United States history and government textbooks. We positioned our findings within the historiography related to the African American school experience which challenges the notion that the lack of resources allocated to Black schools in many areas of the country necessarily equated to a substandard educational experience for Black children. In our analysis we found textbook coverage to be episodically robust, but generally lacking in sufficient context to promote students' recognition of the complexity and nuance of the development and disintegration of African American education. Using the [Direct]
(2013). Grades of the Not So Modeled: Asian American and Pacific Islander Transfer Students at Middle University. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, v37 n3 p205-215. The understanding of Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students, beyond stereotypes, has been limited (Museus, 2009). Although literature on transfer students has grown, the limited research on AAPI transfer students is lacking. A more accurate portrayal of their academic progress needs to be examined. One of the ways to better understand academic progress will be to critically analyze transcripts of AAPI transfer students to better understand how they navigate through higher education. Utilizing Critical Race Theory, myth of the model minority, and transfer shock, this study will provide literature for educators to better understand the experiences and to better serve diverse students' needs. The purpose of this study was to describe the demographic and academic progress of AAPI transfer students at a large Midwest institution. Some of the results included that the graduation rates for AAPI students (native and transfer) were comparable to other students of color groups,… [Direct]
(2013). Who You Callin' White?! A Critical Counter-Story on Colouring White Identity. Race, Ethnicity and Education, v16 n3 p291-315. This action research, which utilizes critical race theory's counter-storytelling, analyses a process of debunking White students' epistemology of ignorance in a history course at an urban public high school. After piloting a raced curriculum that deliberately re-centers marginalized counter-stories of students of colour, I document its impacts on White students' understanding of history. Ultimately, such a process problematizes White students' sense of identity. I employ the analytic tools of Whiteness as power to understand how White students responded to curriculum on race and racism. The analysis silences White dominant Discourse while activating counter-stories by modelling critical consciousness and "colourscence" for my students of colour. Further, I detail two specific responses made by White students in this study: (1) symbiotic transformation; and (2) active resistance. Regardless of the differences in responses, both are processes in debunking… [Direct]
(2013). Using Theory to Tell It Like It Is. Urban Review: Issues and Ideas in Public Education, v45 n3 p335-354 Sep. In this article a graduate level diversity course, "Diversity & Equity in Higher Education" that is based on Johnson's (2005) "Privilege, Power, and Difference," and Critical Race Theory (CRT) (Tate in "Rev Res Educ" 22:195-247, 1997) is described. Johnson's concepts, such as paths of least resistance, are explained, as well as CRT, and forms of multiculturalism. The course format, the instructor's philosophy toward this course, and course assignments are shared. Using the CRT analysis tool developed by former students of this course, an example from a student's paper is provided as an example of how to use the tool, and how theory is used to help students "see" injustice and oppression. Challenges, such as tackling a complex topic in one semester, are discussed and recommendations are made, such as extending the course for two semesters…. [Direct]
(2018). Maintaining One's Consciousness: An Exploratory Study of Upper-Level Black Community College Administrators as Racially Conscious Leaders. ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, California State University, Fullerton. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of Black community college administrators who have transitioned to upper-level management, while maintaining their own race consciousness. A race conscious mindset is defined as: (a) acknowledgement of racialized self as Black; (b) normative emphasis on racial group membership as part of overall self-concept; (c) a comprehensive understanding of racialized self within racial and social context; (d) an in-depth understanding of the complexities of racism and systemic oppression; and (e) proactive engagement in work aiming to disrupt institutional marginalization. This study also examined how Black administrators, who serve or have served as chancellor, vice-chancellor, president, or vice-president navigate leadership expectations of the California Community College system, while maintaining the saliency of their own consciousness. The following questions guided this exploratory study: 1. How do racially conscious Black community… [Direct]
(2018). Exploring Minority Teachers' Experiences Pertaining to Their Value in Education: A Single Case Study of Teachers in New York City. ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, Northcentral University. The lack of minority teachers in the United States is an ongoing problem, and the underrepresentation of minority teachers in the United States has been recognized as a symptom and a cause of racial injustice. The general problem is that minority K-12 teachers are under-represented in the United States. The specific problem that justifies the need for this study is the lack of minority teachers in urban K-12 school districts in the United States, and how minority teachers perceive their teaching practices because there is so few of them. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory single case study is to gain a clearer understanding of minority teachers' experiences concerning the under-representation of minority K-12 teachers in urban school districts in the United States. The two research questions that guided the study were what are minority teachers' perceptions concerning their under-representation of minority teachers in urban school districts? and what are minority teachers'… [Direct]
(2018). African-American Non-Traditional Female Community College Students' Experiences in, and Perceptions 0f, Developmental Education. ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, Northcentral University. Research indicates that African-American non-traditional female students often experience academic difficulties when they have a placement in developmental education programs and courses at community colleges. As a result, African-American non-traditional female students often drop these courses, leave college, and do not persist to degree attainment. There is a gap in the literature about the experiences and perceptions of African-American non-traditional female students enrolled in developmental education courses and the impact these courses have on their persistence to degree attainment. The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological qualitative study was to gain a deeper understanding of the experiences and perceptions of African-American female students, ages 25 to 55, enrolled in developmental education courses in community colleges, completed these courses, or who dropped these courses and the impact these courses have on their persistence to degree attainment. This study… [Direct]
(2016). Latino Students Defining an Identity in an American Town. ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, University of Pennsylvania. Based on indicators of educational achievement in the United States, Latinos have lagged behind most other demographic groups. This study explored Latino students' social identity through a qualitative research design that privileged student voice as a vehicle to addressing educational disparities. The research design employed a phenomenological approach within the framework of practitioner research to explore students' constructions of identity in reference to school in one suburban community. Research has shown that students' experiences and sense of social identity can have significant impacts on academic performance (Aronson & Good, 2002; Moya, 2002; 2009; Steele & Aronson, 1995; Steele, Spencer, & Aronson, 2002). As a Latino school district leader who desires to improve practice by better understanding Latino students in a suburban school setting in which they have a minority presence, in this study I created a forum where students could speak to their experiences… [Direct]
(2016). Understanding Disadvantage among Medical School Applicants. ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, The University of Arizona. The United States is a nation of peoples with highly stratified degrees of healthcare access and coverage, including many individuals with none at all. Exacerbating the problem of widespread health disparities is a persistent shortage of physicians over recent decades. Of most urgency is the need for doctors within already underserved minority communities. Extant research demonstrates that a more racially diverse student body can effectively address the nation's physician shortage and gross health disparities. Yet, the pool of future physicians of color relative to the increasingly racially diverse U.S. population remains incongruent. For medical school admissions committees, this is a formidable challenge, made ever more difficult by legal affronts to affirmative action in postsecondary admissions. Accordingly, the "disadvantaged status" prompt was inserted into the U.S. medical school application as a race-neutral mechanism with potential to help cull a more racially… [Direct]
(2022). Toward Deeper Unconscious Racial Bias Work in Education. Teachers College Record, v124 n11 p3-29 Nov. Background/Context: Unconscious racial bias (URB) can be a pernicious form of racism. In light of increased awareness of and research on the subject, URB work has become a key focus of equity work in health care, education, and corporate contexts as part of broader calls for racial justice. In Canada, targeting URB in education has become a policy priority at the national, provincial, and school board levels. The role of individual and organizational URB is now widely recognized in policy as central to equitable outcomes in schooling; however, research is limited on how to engage these forms of racism in educational contexts. Prevailing approaches to URB work in schools often include truncated one-off workshops, which leave unaddressed the connections between the individual racial biases, and the operations of white supremacy and racism at the institutional, systemic, and structural levels. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study: While URB is increasingly well-understood… [Direct]
(2022). Nurturing Black Girl Imagination: Using Portraiture to Disrupt the Omnivisibility of Black Girlhood and to Illuminate Black Girls' Childhoodness, Creativity, and Criticality in Science Learning Spaces. ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Michigan. This study explores how Black girls express their "Black girl imagination" while participating in a critical, informal science learning program, Empowering Girls Through Art & Science, designed to prioritize the positive visibility of Black girls and promote the critical exploration of scientific histories. The goal of the research was to identify ways Black girls actualize their "Black girl imaginations" through expressions of childhood, criticality, and creativity. Three questions structured the study: (1) How do adolescent Black girls express their "Black girl imaginations" when participating in a critical, informal science learning space designed with them in mind? (2) What do their expressions of "Black girl imagination" reveal about their articulations of self? (3) What do their expressions of "Black girl imagination" reveal about their meaning making in science? The framework for the study is constructed from three… [Direct]
(2009). An Author as a Counter-Storyteller: Applying Critical Race Theory to a \Coretta Scott King Award Book\. Children's Literature in Education, v40 n1 p33-45 Mar. This article analyzes the 2002 Coretta Scott King Award book by Mildred Taylor entitled \The Land\. The novel and its author are situated within a tradition of historical fiction written by and about African Americans. I then offer an analysis that utilizes Critical Race Theory as an interpretive tool for examining the ways Taylor embeds meanings of land ownership into the novel. In particular the following themes emerged: (1) inspiration and adoration, (2) entitlement and privilege, and (3) freedom and security. The conclusion addresses the importance of applying Critical Race Theory to literary studies as well as identifying ways to purposefully incorporate African American young adult historical fiction within today's classrooms…. [Direct]