(2023). Advancing or Inhibiting Equity: The Role of Racism in the Implementation of a Community Engagement Policy. Leadership and Policy in Schools, v22 n3 p787-810. Governmental policies in the United States and beyond increasingly call for school leaders to involve local communities in decision-making, yet engagement practices have often centered the perspectives of White parents and marginalized the voices of racially minoritized families. In this comparative case study of seven school districts, we draw on critical race theory to explore how race and racism shaped district practices under a statewide community engagement policy. Our findings suggest that, without careful attention to racial power and privilege, the implementation of community engagement policies may promote racism in practice, highlighting the need for culturally responsive approaches to engagement…. [Direct]
(2023). The Paradox of Teaching for Social Justice: Interest Convergence in Early-Career Educators. Urban Education, v58 n2 p312-337 Feb. There is a growing emphasis on social justice pedagogy as a predominantly White teacher labor force infiltrates classrooms in urban schools. Using "critical race theory" (CRT)–and the construct of interest convergence–this study examines how White teachers working in an urban school apply and enact teaching for social justice during their first year in the classroom as teachers of record. Findings suggest that the behaviors of new teachers misalign with true intentions of teaching for social justice and instead assuage teachers' perceptions of teaching for social justice to benefit personal and professional interests…. [Direct]
(2023). The Whole Story: A Black Principal's Experience with Race, Racism, and Racial Trauma. Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership, v26 n1 p31-43 Mar. Principal Harris, a new Black male principal at Merion High School, has found himself under fire for allegedly promoting critical race theory (CRT). He has received several forms of pushback as he navigates district and state mandates, racial trauma, invisible taxes, and microaggressions. Unfortunately, his best intentions are not good enough. This case is designed to display the various factors Black principals face in schools and districts amid ongoing public health crises (e.g., COVID-19 and racism). I describe the layered role of race, racism, and racial trauma on Principal Harris through his reflections and responses to stakeholders…. [Direct]
(2023). The CRT Culture War in the Suburbs. Phi Delta Kappan, v104 n5 p18-23 Feb. The suburbs are on the frontlines of a politicized culture war with critical race theory (CRT) at its center. States are passing legislation censoring teachers and administrators from using CRT in schools. This war threatens the intellectual freedom of educators and school leaders. The voices of the teachers, especially teachers of color, are largely absent. Antony Farag shares his experiences on the front lines and provides strategies for teachers and school leaders to navigate this war. He suggests that educators need to be a unifying force and that they must not be limited by censorship laws taking away their intellectual freedoms…. [Direct]
(2023). Black Parents' Perspectives on Instruction: Racial Realism at a Predominantly White, Independent, Urban Elementary School. Urban Education, v58 n8 p1687-1714 Oct. What do Black parents say about the curriculum in a predominantly White independent elementary school in a large urban area? This study explores tensions around topics such as slavery and immigration. While parents did not say they wanted a critical multicultural curriculum, many valued attention to racial diversity. Because parents did not want their children to be hurt or marginalized, however, they used racial realism to navigate the dangers of the environment. There were some differences among parents based on their families' identity. This article uses critical race theory to analyze the parents' perceptions and explores implications for schools…. [Direct]
(2021). Promoting Equitable College Access and Success: Exploring Critical Frameworks in School Counselor Training. Journal of College Access, v6 n3 Article 7 p83-97 Oct. This qualitative study employs a phenomenological research approach that examines the school counselor's experiences and training. The purpose of this study is to explore if school counselors received training in critical race theory (CRT), culturally sustaining pedagogies (CSP), and social justice (SJ), and if they implement these theories in practice. Semi-structured interviews were used with eleven practicing school counselors. Thematic content analysis was used with a critical discourse lens to identify explicit and implicit themes within the data. The results indicate a lack of training in critical race theory (CRT), culturally sustaining pedagogies (CSP), and social justice. While some participants had knowledge of social justice theory, most were unsure how to move theory to practice. These results allude to a call for action within school counselor education. School counselors should be trained how to translate the theories of CRT, CSP, and social justice to practice. This… [PDF]
(2024). Systematic Review of Theoretical Perspectives Guiding the Study of Race and Racism in Higher Education Journals. Innovative Higher Education, v49 n2 p247-269. Our study provides a review of theories that were used to study race and racism between 2010 and 2019 in higher education. We conducted a content analysis to identify concepts, statements and models used in higher education studies focused on race and racism in the three most highly read United States higher education journals. We also identified salient characteristics of studies focused on race and racism that applied critical race theory (CRT) and other frequently used theories and frameworks. Across the 172 reviewed studies, over 130 concepts, statements and models were identified that can be taken up by scholars and equity-minded higher education practitioners. Findings also offer direct implications and suggestions for future research focused on race and racism…. [Direct]
(2023). Predictive Algorithms and Racial Bias: A Qualitative Descriptive Study on the Perceptions of Algorithm Accuracy in Higher Education. ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, Northcentral University. The research problem addressed in this study is that racial bias programmed into predictive algorithm recommendations negatively impacts students in historically underrepresented groups. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore the perception of algorithm accuracy among data professionals in higher education and explore the potential application of a modified critical race theory framework to the design of predictive algorithms used in higher education to reduce instances of racial bias from negatively impacting students from historically underrepresented groups. Social justice theory guided this study and emphasized four principles: access, participation, equity, and human rights. Three research questions steered this study. RQ1 addressed how data professionals in higher education perceived the accuracy of predictive algorithm recommendations used at higher education institutions. RQ2 considered how institutions vet the accuracy of their recommendations to… [Direct]
(2022). The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round: Rethinking the St. Louis Busing Program. ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, University of Missouri – Saint Louis. This autoethnography shares our personal experiences and counter-narratives in the St. Louis busing program. Through our mission we expound on experiences and real-life situations as seen through our lens as a student and a mother in the St. Louis busing program. Critical race theory (CRT) was used as an essential framework allowing us to focus on the following four tenets: counter-stories, permanence of racism, whiteness as property, interest convergence. (Anderson, et al., 2017). Critical race theory (CRT) is the framework in social sciences that examines society and culture as it relates to categorization of race, law and power (Lynn & Dixson, 2013).The purpose of our study was to take a closer look at the discriminatory practices and unfairness that took place in the St. Louis busing program. Our autoethnography has allowed for authenticity and truth as we tell our personal narratives as to why the St. Louis Busing program wasn't all sunshine and roses. [The dissertation… [Direct]
(2024). Disrupting Quantitative Monoracism in Institutional Research: Critical Considerations for Multiracial Categorization. The AIR Professional File, Summer 2024. Article 170. Association for Institutional Research While the Two or More Races category has been the de facto mechanism to count multiracial college students since 2010, little research has critically examined how this category has been used in institutional research contexts. Extending previous scholarship on monoracism in higher education, we define "quantitative monoracism" as the policies, practices, and processes by which monoracial categories are elevated and multiraciality is erased in quantitative research. Quantitative monoracism harms those who do not fit monoracial categories by rendering their nuanced needs invisible in statistical analyses. Grounded in quantitative critical race theory and critical multiracial theory, we advance a series of guiding questions and illustrate their application to a case study in hopes of amplifying anti-monoracist action in institutional research…. [PDF]
(2022). "Where I Can Be Myself": Black Youth Narratives of Their Future Careers. Professional School Counseling, v26 n1. This qualitative study centers on the career narratives of seven Black youth enrolled at an urban public school in the Midwest. We used critical race theory to analyze participants' responses to a narrative career counseling intervention, My Career Story (Savickas & Hartung, 2012). The four interconnected themes found were (a) persistence against all odds, (b) unconditional acceptance and connections, (c) self-advocacy, and (d) tranquility. We discuss direct implications for school/career counselors and school counselor educators…. [Direct]
(2024). Centering Racial Equity in a BSW Program: What We've Learned in Five Years. Journal of Social Work Education, v60 n1 p27-42. In response to the 2016 election of Donald J. Trump and calls for antiracist action from activists and communities of color, our Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program embarked on a process of curriculum revision. In this article, we describe our efforts to center critical and Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) scholarship and to better align our curriculum with the experiences of students of color. While we have drawn from feminist and critical race theories, we have also borrowed concepts from literatures not typically associated with antiracism work, such as policy implementation and leadership/management. We present our ongoing work as a case study of, and methodology for, systematic social work curriculum change to promote racial equity and justice…. [Direct]
(2024). Status Quo or Innovation? Transforming Teacher Education in Hostile Times. Educational Policy, v38 n3 p604-623. Teacher education is at a critical crossroads as colleges and schools of education contend with decreased student enrollment, legislative strategizing to limit what is taught, and general pushback regarding what teachers should learn about teaching and their students. As such, the field of teacher education must examine how to collectively rebuff the current movement by policy makers and elected officials who have formalized their desire to maintain the status quo in education. They continue to lobby against social justice in education, critical race theory, multicultural perspectives in teaching, and culturally responsive and relevant pedagogical approaches to classroom instruction, among others. This paper examines the current moment in educational history and highlights opportunities that may transform teacher education policy to become more justice centered…. [Direct]
(2024). "We're Changing the System with This One": Black Students Using Critical Race Algorithmic Literacies to Subvert and Survive AI-Mediated Racism in School. English Teaching: Practice and Critique, v23 n1 p36-56. Purpose: This paper aims to center the experiences of three cohorts (n = 40) of Black high school students who participated in a critical race technology course that exposed anti-blackness as the organizing logic and default setting of digital and artificially intelligent technology. This paper centers the voices, experiences and technological innovations of the students, and in doing so, introduces a new type of digital literacy: critical race algorithmic literacy. Design/methodology/approach: Data for this study include student interviews (called "talk backs"), journal reflections and final technology presentations. Findings: Broadly, the data suggests that critical race algorithmic literacies prepare Black students to critically read the algorithmic word (e.g. data, code, machine learning models, etc.) so that they can not only resist and survive, but also "rebuild" and "reimagine" the algorithmic world. Originality/value: While critical race media… [Direct]
(2020). Toward a Critical Race Pedagogy of Physical Education. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, v25 n4 p439-450. Background: A critical race theory of education has a been a popular framework for understanding racial inequities teaching and teacher education. Furthermore, it has served as the foundation for critical race research methodologies and critical race pedagogy, which are meant to address racial inequity via research and teaching, respectively. With regard to critical race pedagogy, there has been no specific conceptualization for the preparation of physical educators. Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present a critical race pedagogy of physical education teacher education (PETE). Key Concepts: In the paper, critical race theory and critical race pedagogy are highlighted as the conceptual roots of a critical race pedagogy of PETE. In doing so it offers a critique of resource pedagogies and their conceptualization in PETE. Critical race theory has been described as a scholarly movement that seeks to uncover and dismantle systemic racism while rejecting incrementalism. Critical… [Direct]