(2024). STEM Asianization and the Racialization of the Educational Experiences of Asian American College Students. WCER Working Paper No. 2024-2. Wisconsin Center for Education Research This article clarifies historical and sociocultural factors that impact the role of STEM in the racialization of Asian Americans. Drawing on critical race and other theories of Asian American racialization, and a review of empirical research on the experiences of Asian American college students in STEM, we develop a conceptual framework called "STEM Asianization" that highlights the role of STEM ideology in the model minority racialization of Asian Americans. Consequences for Asian American students include (1) erasure of the intersectional experiences of minoritized Asian American students; (2) dehumanization of Asian Americans and establishment of a bamboo ceiling; (3) representation of Asian Americans as a perpetual foreigner/Yellow Peril during times of cultural and political crisis; and (4) representation of Asian Americans who cannot or do not conform to the STEM achievement narrative as a failed minority. We argue that STEM Asianization reproduces White supremacy by… [PDF]
(2016). Individual- and School-Level Predictors of Student Office Disciplinary Referrals. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, v24 n1 p30-41 Mar. Research has widely documented the over-representation of office disciplinary referrals (ODRs) among specific student groups (e.g., African American, boys). Despite extant research documenting individual-level predictors of ODRs, few studies have accounted for the nested structure of the settings in which these events occur. Guided by critical race theory and social-ecological theory, this study uses multilevel modeling to examine individual- and school-level predictors of student ODRs. Archival data were examined among 1,442 students in a high-poverty urban school district. The majority of students were male (66.4%), African American (56.2%), and in middle school (63.2%). Results revealed that individual-level characteristics significantly predicted student disciplinary referrals even when accounting for school-level variables. Racial/ethnic-minority concentration was positively associated with ODRs for physically aggressive behavior. Finally, results revealed moderation effects,… [Direct]
(2016). Equity and Equality in Elementary Public Education: Historical Perspectives and the Perceptions of Education Leaders. ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, Cambridge College. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how elementary principals perceive their roles in the context of equity and historical inequality in public education. Three elementary principals of three different socio-economically and culturally diverse elementary school districts responded to interviews and questionnaires. They expressed their perceptions of how educational equity and equality are manifested for inner-city African American students in public elementary schools compared to urban and suburban elementary students. In order to deal with the complexity surrounding issues of equity and inequality, this study also examined historic events focusing on the decisions and policies that shaped public education and supported the tenets of critical race theory. The results of this research suggest that a dichotomous society exists in the world of public education among school districts. Lower achievement and lower self-esteem among African American students in the… [Direct]
(2013). Marginalizing Merit?: Gender Differences in Black Faculty D/discourses on Tenure, Advancement, and Professional Success. Review of Higher Education, v36 n4 p489-512 Sum. Little work has addressed the ways in which race and gender intersect and shape Black professors' experiences as they seek professional advancement. Framed by critical race theory, this qualitative study uses discourse analysis to analyze the narratives of 28 Black professors employed at two research universities. Findings suggest that faculty perceive race and gender influencing their evaluations for academic advancement, with key gender distinctions in discourses about teaching and service in relation to professional success. Black women appear to experience demands in these domains as more emotionally and physically taxing than their male counterparts, adding strain to the tenure and advancement process. (Contains 2 tables.)… [Direct]
(2009). Shut up and Listen: Applied Critical Race Theory in the Classroom. Race, Ethnicity and Education, v12 n2 p133-154 Jul. This paper demonstrates that applying critical race theory to the classroom dramatically shifts the nature and scope of schooling for students of color in urban schools. In focusing on students, applied critical race theory centers the development of voice and expression, and de-centers the high-stakes pressures that limit student engagement. This overview of a writing class at a continuation high school clarifies the importance of student voice, but also of knowing how to engage in dialogue with students about the social context they navigate daily. Understanding how to foster critical voice in students provides educators the tools to create engaging classrooms, and acknowledges the intense emotional experiences that students bring (from home contexts) to the classroom. Without such acknowledgement at the core of schooling, educators are likely to reinforce the very stereotypes that lead students to reject what they often see as demeaning education. The article demonstrates… [Direct]
(2020). Investigating Diversity Issues through the Experiences of Executive Latinx Leaders in Christian Higher Education. ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, Fuller Theological Seminary, School of Intercultural Studies. This study will examine diversity, equity, and inclusion issues through the lived experiences of five executive Latinx leaders that serve (as a dean or above) in the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU). There exists a lacuna of Latinx within the executive ranks of colleges and universities in the U.S., and those who currently serve are mostly at the community college level. When it comes to Christian higher education (CHE), the number of Latinx serving at the senior level is twice as low. Thus, those Latinx who are currently serving at the CCCU provide a learning opportunity for other Latinx aspiring to assume leadership positions, while simultaneously providing CCCU schools that desire to attract and retain Latinx leaders, the knowledge in order to do so. This research project was birthed from the investigators experiences in CHE, and a desire to learn if the experiences were unique or if they aligned with other Latinx and people of color. Critical Race Theory… [Direct]
(2019). Landscapes of Learning and Teaching: Reading "with" the Narratives of Novice Teachers of Color. ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, The University of Nebraska – Lincoln. Novice teachers of color (TOC) in predominantly White programs of teacher preparation have experiences as students and developing teachers that are uniquely related to their racial, linguistic and cultural backgrounds. These experiences may not be noticed, understood or valued by their predominantly White teacher educators. The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry was to explore what I have learned, as a White teacher educator, from novice teachers of color (TOC) as they told their past and present stories of schooling and learning. A narrative approach allowed me to retell the stories shared by each participant in their voice and to come alongside the participants to include my narrative as a way to make my reflections visible as well. Because the heart of narrative inquiry lies in relationships, four novice TOC who were previously enrolled in an elementary literacy methods course taught by me, and participated in a Future Teachers of Color group sponsored by me, were the… [Direct]
(2021). "Rosas Y Espinas" Counter Stories of Illinois Latina Educational Leaders. ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. For decades, researchers have studied the need for students to have educators that reflect their same ethnic backgrounds. Despite the many known benefits of having culturally diverse educators, the field of education has a huge demographic divide between the rapidly growing PreK-12 Latinx student population and its educational leaders. Currently, there is very little published research that highlights the factors that contribute to PreK-12 Latina educational leaders successfully navigating the education system and moving up the hierarchy. In fact there is no published research on Latinx leaders serving in Illinois school districts despite its large Latinx student population. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to examine the counter stories of Latina educational leaders serving in Illinois PreK-8 and PreK-12 school districts. The twelve research participants interviewed included an assistant superintendent, a chief academic officer, three central office directors, six… [Direct]
(2023). 'She Thought I Was Her Gardener': The Life History of One Latino/Hispanic American College Basketball Coach. Sport, Education and Society, v28 n2 p188-199. The purpose of the study was to construct the life history of Mateo, an American Latino/Hispanic college basketball coach. The study was guided by elements from Latino/a/x critical race (LatCrit) theory. Data were collected through formal semi-structured interviews, informal interviews, and documents and artifacts. They were analyzed by employing analytic induction and constant comparison. Key findings were that Mateo faced considerable marginalization and was frequently subjected to microaggressions. He was able to overcome this racism due to his determination and support from his family and mentors. Mateo's experiences of racism and the political and cultural context led him to develop an activist element in his coaching pedagogy. His life history may inspire other Latinos/as/x and Hispanics to consider coaching as a career or help those who are struggling to realize this goal. It may also play a part in improving the coaching culture for Latinos/as/x and Hispanics…. [Direct]
(2015). Experiences of Underrepresented Doctoral Students in Counselor Education. Journal for Multicultural Education, v9 n2 p68-84. Purpose: This study aimed to qualitatively examine the perceived cultural competence of counselor education doctoral programs through narratives of 19 racially or ethnically underrepresented students using Critical Race Theory as a theoretical framework. Design/methodology/approach: The authors used a qualitative study of 19 racially or ethnically underrepresented students. Findings: Six major themes were identified–playing the game; individual characteristics and attributes; intersectionality; support; voice; and talk the talk, walk the walk. Research limitations/implications: The limitations of the study included the identity of the primary researcher being a White female in a PhD program during the collection of data. While this was disclosed to the participants, it meant that they made decisions about what or how much to share about their experiences regarding race or doctoral study. The findings are only transferable to the reader's experiences and interpretation and not… [Direct]
(2022). All the Way Up: A Qualitative Examination of African American Male Educational Resilience in Higher Education. ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, DePaul University. The educational resilience of African American males has been extensively studied from elementary, high school, and undergraduate perspectives. Topics such as the "School to Prison Pipeline," which characterizes the educational and life trajectories of African American males in America with regards to criminalization and mass incarceration, dominant resilience data. However, there are not nearly as many studies that specifically focus on the educational resilience of African American males who persist to earn doctoral degrees. Research continues to substantiate the fact that African American men earn doctoral degrees at exceptionally disproportionate rates in comparison to Caucasian men. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the perception of factors that facilitated educational resilience among African American males who earned doctoral degrees. Through the utilization of a basic qualitative study design and drawing on the methodological elements of… [Direct]
(2024). The Benefits of Academic and Career Preparedness Interventions for Marginalized Student Populations: An Exploratory Mixed Methods Case Study. ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, Drexel University. Despite the many benefits associated with obtaining a college degree, many of our nation's public-school students, particularly marginalized students, remain ill-equipped to pursue their desired post-secondary goals (Morgan et al., 2014). The researcher uses published literature to define and substantiate the systemic challenges that lower resourced public schools contend with to recruit and retain qualified educators and provide cost-efficient accessible educational support resources to supplement classroom instruction. Due to inadequate educational instruction and resource challenges that Title I public schools face, the educational needs of these students can not solely be met within the classroom (Sakash, 2016). Therefore, providing educational and career support resources can be an effective mitigator for students who experience educational challenges due to the desired instructional needs (Goldhaber, 2020). The resulting educational outcomes often lead these students to defer… [Direct]
(2016). Contemporary Issues of Social Justice: A Focus on Race and Physical Education in the United States. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, v87 n3 p230-241. Ongoing events in the United States show the continual need to address issues of social justice in every social context. Of particular note in this article, the contemporary national focus on race has thrust social justice issues into the forefront of the country's conscious. Although legal segregation has ran its course, schools and many neighborhoods remain, to a large degree, culturally, ethnically, linguistically, economically, and racially segregated and unequal (Orfield & Lee, 2005). Even though an African American president presently occupies the White House, the idea of a postracial America remains an unrealized ideal. Though social justice and racial discussions are firmly entrenched in educational research, investigations that focus on race are scant in physical education literature. Here, we attempt to develop an understanding of social justice in physical education with a focus on racial concerns. We purposely confine the examination to the U.S. context to avoid the… [Direct]
(2017). Empowered Intersectionality among Black Female K-12 Leaders: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study. ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, Liberty University. Black female school leaders remain underrepresented as educational leaders in the K-12 context as marginalizing factors persist in the field. The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of Black female school leaders through the lens of intersectionality. For this research study, intersectionality was defined as the intersecting realities of oppression. For the Black female, it is her race and gender. The following research questions were addressed: How do Black female school leaders describe their experiences with the intersectionality of race and gender? How (if at all) do participants' experiences w/intersectionality influence their leadership practices? How do Black female school leaders describe their awareness of intersectionality as it relates to their decision-making? The theories that guided this study were critical race theory and Black feminist theory as they each affect and inform the career trajectories of the Black… [Direct]
(2017). Racism and the White Studies Experience at a Predominantly White Institution. ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, Morgan State University. This research study examined black college students lived experiences with racism and white studies. A qualitative phenomenological study was conducted with five black college students. They participated in entrance interviews, a white studies workshop that incorporated a focus group, wrote reflective journals, had exit interviews, and a group debriefing session. The data were analyzed and interpreted through the theoretical lenses of Critical Race Theory and Transformative Learning Theory. A textual analysis of the data revealed two overarching themes. Those themes are the oppressive acts of racism and the revelations from white studies. The participants' white studies experience revealed the power of hearing other students' stories about their experiences with racism, opened their eyes to certain aspects and manifestations of whiteness, provided them with language to use, and fostered strategies about how to respond to racist offenders. Those findings led to a few implications for… [Direct]