(2018). Invisible Barriers to Higher Education in Indian Country: Standardized Testing. ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, The University of Arizona. This dissertation explores the accessibility of SAT and ACT standardized tests and related preparatory resources in relation to Native communities. The ultimate goal of this research is twofold. First, to help identify some of the barriers to educational access experienced by Native students, and second, to use this information to increase awareness of and make recommendation for addressing the varying levels of access Native students, both on and off reservations, have to the SAT and ACT tests and related preparatory resources. Utilizing a theoretical framework based in Tribal Critical Race Theory, this research employs a mixed-methods approach to data collection and analysis in recognition of the distinct roles both narratives and numbers can have in illuminating upon a particular issue. Personal narratives from thirteen Native college students and five school administrators exclusively within Arizona provided the qualitative data for this study. Additionally, publically-available… [Direct]
(2018). Who I Want You to Be: Three Portraits of Culturally Competent Teachers Improving the Mental Health of Students. ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, Iowa State University. There is a lack of critical research addressing racism as a dynamic of mental health in schools. In the critical view, US schools mirror a social system built on an ideology of white supremacy; the US school system may perpetuate racial trauma for students of color. Teachers who demonstrate culturally competent identities in practice have important roles to play in counteracting racial trauma and promoting the mental health of students of color. This qualitative study explores how culturally competent teachers make sense of their identities, how they make sense of their students' identities to build relationships, and how they understand student identities contributing to mental health. Extending Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Relational Cultural Theory (RCT), this dissertation proposes a new framework for understanding cultural competence at the intersection of racism and mental health, Critical School Mental Health Praxis (CrSMHP). CrSMHP challenges models of resiliency which put… [Direct]
(2018). Latinx/a/o Higher Education Administrators: A Narrative Study of Their Experiences Encountering and Responding to Racial Bias Incidents. ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, Northeastern University. The purpose of this narrative study was to understand Latinx/a/o higher education administrators' stories encountering and responding to racial bias incidents. Central to this investigation was the understanding of how racial identity and life experiences framed how they negotiated these incidents in their professional contexts. The main research question was: What are the stories of Latinx/a/o higher education administrators' experiences encountering and/or responding to racial bias incidents at PWIs in New England? The subquestion was: What role do racial identity and life experiences play in Latinx/a/o administrators' narratives about encountering and/or responding to racial bias incidents? Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four Latinx/a/o administrators at predominantly White institutions (PWIs) in the New England region of the United States. The study used a narrative research design and critical race theory as the central theoretical framework. Findings covered… [Direct]
(2018). Missing in Action: A Critical Narrative Study of the Absence of Black Female Secondary Science Teachers. ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, Loyola Marymount University. Despite the increasing research that lists cultural incongruence in the classroom among the top factors that speaks to the disproportionate numbers of Black females obtaining STEM degrees there is limited research on the actual number of Black female science teachers at the secondary level in education and the impact this plays on Black females in science, technology, engineering, and math classrooms (STEM). The consequence of all this is that we find ourselves with Black female science teachers "missing in action," and only 5% of Black females receiving a STEM degree. I employ critical pedagogy, critical race theory, and Black feminist thought to answer: (a) What do the stories of Black female secondary science teachers tell us about issues related to their recruitment and retention within the science teaching force? (b) How do Black female secondary science teachers explain the shortage of Black females entering the STEM field? What do they believe should be done to… [Direct]
(2020). Animating Discipline Disparities through Debilitating Practices: Girls of Color and Inequitable Classroom Interactions. Teachers College Record, v122 n5. Context: Girls of Color are overrepresented in school disciplinary actions based on subjectively judged, minor infractions. Studies have consistently shown that this exclusionary discipline has long-lasting impact on Girls of Color and their educational outcomes, including increased risk for pushout and involvement in the criminal legal system. Focus of Study: We sought to uncover the processes that animate the statistics of overrepresentation of Girls of Color in disciplinary actions. Said differently, we sought to understand where, how, and why Girls of Color were being disciplined in schools. Using a Disability Critical Race Theory (DisCrit) lens and centering the voices of Girls' of Color, this empirical study was guided by the question, What mechanisms propel and dispel disciplinary inequities for Girls of Color? Research Design: The qualitative research took place in a suburban school district in the Midwestern United States marked by increasing racial, cultural, and linguistic… [Direct]
(2020). Dis/rupting and Dis/mantling Racism and Ableism in Higher Education. ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, University of California, Riverside. The marginalization of "dis/abled" Black and students of Color is well-documented in the K-12 contexts (Annamma et al., 2013; Artiles, 2013; Artiles et al., 2002; Artiles, & Trent, 1994; Blanchett, 2006). Studies have found that not only do Black and students of Color experience overrepresentation in Special Education but that Special Education placement increases the likelihood of these students being removed from schools and placed into carceral facilities (Annamma, 2015; Annamma, 2017; Artiles, 2013; Artiles et al., 2002; Artiles et al., 2010; Sullivan & Artiles, 2011). While these studies allow us to understand barriers impacting dis/abled Black and students of Color in the K-12 system, far less is known about this student population upon entering higher education. Extending Dis/ability Critical Race Theory (DisCrit), my study examines the racialized experiences of dis/abled Black and students of color attending four-year colleges and universities in California…. [Direct]
(2012). Lift Every Voice and Sing: Faculty of Color Face the Challenges of the Tenure Track. Urban Review: Issues and Ideas in Public Education, v44 n1 p90-112 Mar. This article highlights some of the obstacles facing tenure-track faculty of color in academia. Through the perspective of Critical Race Theory (CRT) and by using a counterstories method, four faculty of color share their experiences as they explore diversity issues through engaging in a 1-year self-study. Findings of this qualitative study provide important insights from the perspectives of faculty of color to address ways in which to identify supports that lever barriers during the tenure process…. [Direct]
(2013). "Crack in the Pavement": Pedagogy as Political and Moral Practice for Educating Culturally Competent Professionals. International Education Journal: Comparative Perspectives, v12 n1 p249-265. This paper explores the reception of Indigenous perspectives and knowledges in university curricula and educators' social responsibility to demonstrate cultural competency through their teaching and learning practices. Drawing on tenets of critical race theory, Indigenous standpoint theory and critical pedagogies, this paper argues that the existence of Indigenous knowledges in Australian university curricula and pedagogy demands personal and political activism (Dei, 2008) as it requires educators to critique both personal and discipline-based knowledge systems. The paper interrogates the experiences of non-Indigenous educators involved in this contested epistemological space (Nakata, 2002), and concludes by arguing for a political and ethical commitment by educators towards embedding Indigenous knowledges towards educating culturally competent professionals…. [PDF]
(2013). Challenging the Ideology of Normal in Schools. International Journal of Inclusive Education, v17 n12 p1278-1294. In this article, we build on Brantlinger's work to critique the binary of normal and abnormal applied in US schools that create inequities in education. Operating from a critical perspective, we draw from Critical Race Theory, Disability Studies in Education, and Cultural/Historical Activity Theory to build a conceptual framework for examining the prevailing ideology of normal found in US schools. We use our conceptual framework to "deconstruct" the current, westernised, static ideology of normal. Once deconstructed, we explore current iterations of the ideology of normal in schools. Finally, we suggest using the conceptual framework as a tool to "reconstruct" the ideology of normal as something more dynamic and inclusive…. [Direct]
(2015). White Native English Speakers Needed: The Rhetorical Construction of Privilege in Online Teacher Recruitment Spaces. TESOL Quarterly: A Journal for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages and of Standard English as a Second Dialect, v49 n4 p733-756 Dec. Over the past few decades, scholars have paid increasing attention to the role of native speakerism in the field of TESOL. Several recent studies have exposed instances of native speakerism in TESOL recruitment discourses published through a variety of media, but none have focused specifically on professional websites advertising programs in Southeast Asia. In this article, the authors report findings from a critical discourse analysis of textual and visual features in 59 websites recruiting for specific language schools located in China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. They find that the ideal candidate is overwhelmingly depicted as a young, White, enthusiastic native speaker of English from a stable list of inner-circle countries. Furthermore, they find that these sites place more emphasis on the opportunities to make money, travel, and experience adventure in exotic cultures that come with the TESOL jobs being advertised, rather than on the jobs themselves. The authors… [Direct]
(2010). African American Doctoral Students at For-Profit Colleges and Universities: A Critical Race Theory Exploration. ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, North Carolina State University. Many people regard the doctorate as the pinnacle of success. Despite the challenges of completing the terminal degree, the dream of earning the doctoral degree remains a goal for many every year. Understanding the phenomenon of African American student enrollment at for-profit colleges and universities (FPCUs) is necessary because many African Americans use these institutions as alternative degree sources. The purpose of this study was to explore how social and environmental factors shape the academic experiences of African American doctoral students at FPCUs. The research questions that guided this study are as follows: (1) What are the academic experiences of African American doctoral students enrolled at FPCUs? (2) What are the social experiences of African American doctoral students enrolled at FPCUs? (3) What enhances the success of African American doctoral students at FPCUs? (4) What impedes the success of African American doctoral students at FPCUs? Critical race theory… [Direct]
(2018). Ejection Is Rejection: Factors That Influence Education Leaders' Continued Use of Exclusionary Discipline. ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. When students are removed from their learning environment, their learning is interrupted and disrupted (American Psychological Association, 2006; Kim, Losen, & Hewitt, 2010; Skiba, Eckes, & Brown, 2009). Yet exclusionary discipline is a primary practice of the K-12 school system both locally and nationally (U.S. Department of Education, 2016), even when other forms of discipline are available. The purpose of this study was to examine what factors, such as race, gender, and behavioral outcomes, influence education leaders' discretionary decisions to remove students from the classroom for disciplinary infractions. Specifically, the study attempted to answer an overarching research question of what specific factors K-12 education leaders use in their decision-making process with an individual student's disciplinary decision when they have the discretion to choose between suspension and/or expulsion and other discipline options. The researcher attempted to answer this overarching… [Direct]
(2018). The Revolving Door of Education: Retaining First-Generation Latinx Students during the First Two Years at California State University East Bay. ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, California State University, East Bay. Although the United States is in the middle of an unprecedented growth of the Latinx population/community, the numbers are not translating into higher academic achievement rates, particularly in higher education. First-generation Latinx students continue to be the most underachieving ethnic group in the nation with higher dropout rates than their non-Latinx counterparts. An inability to improve these academic retention and graduation statistics will perpetuate current societal inequities and prevent this growing social group from bettering their socioeconomic position by furthering their education. In order to offset the lack of prior exposure to higher education for this community, a more intentional approach is needed for Latinx youth that focuses on expanding access, improving college preparation, and providing support during the critical first two years of college. Moreover, the strong cultural and historical experiences of Latinx youth must be leveraged to provide this group… [Direct]
(2018). Journeying toward Racial Justice in Schools: A Scholarly Personal Narrative on Exposing Racism and Sustaining the Fight for Equity in Mostly White Systems. ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, University of St. Thomas (Minnesota). This study explores the ways White educators expose racial injustice and sustain the fight for equity in mostly White school systems. The research involves uncovering one's personal racism as well as unearthing how it functions systemically and it examines effective ways of bringing that to people's attention. The data for this Scholarly Personal Narrative (SPN) study, therefore, is the researcher's own experiences accumulated over the past 18 years in educational leadership. I explicate processes a leader must undergo to: 1) explore the social construct of racial identity, 2) develop effective short and long-term strategies to sustain progress, and 3) utilize mindful responses in collegial interactions in order to work for racial justice in school systems. I consider theories, perspectives, and practices from a wide array of scholars and educators in order to examine ways to navigate the tumultuous waters of racialized impacts and outcomes for youth in public schools. In the SPN,… [Direct]
(2018). An Investigation of the Challenges Faced by Ghanaian International Students in the American Higher Education System: A Phenomenological Multi-Case Study. ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, Roosevelt University. This research study sought to investigate and explain the perceptions and experiences of Ghanaian international students in the American higher education system. Four subjects enrolled at different higher education institutions in the USA participated in the study. The participants were selected based on the following four criteria: (a) they were Ghanaian international students; (b) they were 18 years of age or older; (c) they had successfully completed two years or more of post-secondary education in the USA; (d) and they were proficient in the English language. Three research questions guided the study: What are the perceptions of Ghanaian international students regarding their experiences in a higher educational institution in the USA? What factors influence these perceptions? What are the specific ways that Ghanaian international students negotiate the challenges of the American higher education system? A qualitative methodology and case study research design was utilized to… [Direct]