(2022). Confronting Book Banning and Assumed Curricular Neutrality: A Critical Inquiry Framework. Theory Into Practice, v61 n4 p373-383. Recently, false accusations of Critical Race Theory (CRT) being taught in elementary and secondary schools have emerged in response to culturally relevant, sustaining, and revitalizing curricula; this pushback makes it difficult for many educators to safely employ culturally relevant literature in their classrooms. This article confronts the increasing censoring of curriculum (via book banning and other policies) that privileges White, unidimensional perspectives on language, culture, and curricular topics. Specifically, we suggest a critical inquiry framework (CIF) to guide "how" students read such text and that draws on the tenets of Yosso's Cultural Wealth model. Our CIF is rooted in (1) student examination of the economic and political contexts of literary production and constructs of linguistic and cultural legibility, (2) critical engagement with the represented values of literature, and (3) research and critical engagement in the unrepresented and misrepresented… [Direct]
(2022). Individual Characteristics Associated with Color-Blind Racial Attitudes in Master of Social Work Students. Journal of Social Work Education, v58 n3 p472-485. Schools of social work are tasked with preparing students to support the field's ethical challenge of eliminating racism. Given that color-blind racial attitudes constitute a form of continued racism, identifying the factors associated with color-blind racial ideology (CBRI) in social work students represents a first step toward meeting this challenge. Drawing from critical race theory, this cross-sectional study surveyed a convenience sample of 305 master of social work (MSW) students across five schools of social work to explore which individual characteristics are significantly associated with CBRI at the bivariate and multivariate levels. A multiple linear regression assessed CBRI's multivariate associations with demographic characteristics (i.e., age, gender, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation) and professional characteristics (i.e., prior work experience with marginalized communities, bachelor of social work [BSW] attainment, MSW concentration). Results showed that increased… [Direct]
(2022). Listening for the Canaries: Addressing Racial Battle Fatigue in First Nations Students in Higher Education. ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, University of Wisconsin – Green Bay. The purpose of this research study was to examine the impact of Racial Battle Fatigue on First Nations students in higher education through the lens of Tribal Critical Race Theory. This work is grounded in understanding how the weight of racialization affects the experiences of First Nations students enrolled at Institutions of Higher Education. It also examines how to address the stigmas of Racial Battle Fatigue to focus on the holistic wellness of First Nations students in academia through creative expression. Six student co-researchers helped formulate the data in this study through their shared stories on their experiences with RBF in their educational journeys. The following four themes were identified from their stories: External Fatigue, Internal Fatigue, Intergenerational Responsibility, and Sole Voice. A fifth theme was identified that worked in support of the First Nations students, Cultural Nourishment. Through praxis, community, and relationships, Cultural Nourishment… [Direct]
(2024). African American Males: Navigating the Academic Leadership Pathways to Senior-Level Leadership Roles in K12. ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, Fayetteville State University. This study aimed to explore African American male leaders' academic experiences, career paths, and suggestions for obtaining leadership opportunities in K-12 education. Additionally, its purpose was to uncover the perceived experiences of African American male leaders. The goal was also to investigate African American men's perceptions of recruiting, hiring, and leadership opportunities by examining their academic experiences and leadership roles. The researcher sought to explore Critical Race Theory as an opportunity for change. The following research questions guided this study: (1) How did African American male leaders in K-12 perceive their academic experiences, and how did these perceptions relate to social justice issues within the educational system? (2) What support systems and strategies did African American males use to attain their leadership positions, and what strategies did they suggest for recruiting, hiring, and supporting African American males in K-12 education? (3)… [Direct]
(2023). The Skin I'm In: A Critical Content Analysis of Picture Books Written by Black Authors. ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, Western Michigan University. This study seeks to explore the experiences of Black male protagonists in picture books. The following question guided this study: How do Black authors demonstrate a commitment to social justice? The theoretical framework that guides this study is Critical Race Theory (CRT), which aids in understanding how Black authors use experiential knowledge to represent experiences that challenge dominant ideologies about Black males. The sample consists of 20 pictures books all written by Black authors and published within the United States from 2018 to 2021. The deductive and inductive approaches to critical content analysis is used as it is effective for highlighting (1) the experiences of the Black male protagonists, (2) experiential knowledge of the authors, and (3) the experiences that challenge dominant ideologies. To determine each, language and images from each of the picture books were used as evidence. Exploring the representation of Black males in children's literature informs how… [Direct]
(2023). Is This Antiracist?: An Autoethnographic Evaluation of Professional Development. ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, Loyola Marymount University. Communities of color have been fighting for equal rights in society throughout history, resulting in the development of different social movements. In 2013, the Black Lives Matter movement was founded and protests erupted across America as Black lives were lost at the hands of law enforcement. In the summer of 2020, the protests continued, serving as a catalyst for schools to begin interrogating their practices and curricula, moving towards efforts to be pro-Black and antiracist.Grounded in Critical Social Theory and Critical Race Theory, this autoethnographic study explores the experiences of me, a Latinx teacher in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) professional development (PD), intended to train teachers in how to be antiracist educators. This study centers my experience as both an educator of color and teacher, interrogating my experience through critical self-reflection and document analysis. This study explores the ways Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC) teachers… [Direct]
(2024). Factors That Influence Elementary School Teachers Who Refer Students to Special Education. ProQuest LLC, Psy.D. Dissertation, Walden University. There is an overrepresentation of African American students in special education classes; placing African Americans disproportionately in special education classes lowers their self-esteem and compromises their academic performance. This study aimed to increase understanding of the meaning-making processes elementary school general education teachers use to refer African American students for special education services. I used critical race theory (CRT) to support the study, which suggests that structural racism in schools harms African American students' self-esteem and academic achievement. Two research questions directed the study: What are the decision-making processes of elementary school teachers who refer African American students for special education services? How do the beliefs of teachers impact their decision to refer African American students for special education services? With a qualitative approach, I interviewed 14 K-6 public school general education teachers who had… [Direct]
(2022). Enlighten Me: Teaching Social Justice in Further and Higher Education by Reclaiming Philosophically Liberal Values–A Social Work Education Case Study. Journal of Further and Higher Education, v46 n8 p1066-1077. This article suggests that traditional, liberal values that comprise the broad value consensus of most western democracies may be at risk of erosion, especially in further and higher education settings. The factors that may be contributing to their devaluation include: the down-grading of belief in unique individualism and common humanity in favour of reified group identity, the erosion of the importance of 'liberal science' or a liberal definition of what constitutes knowledge, the supplanting of economic social justice concerns with identity matters, and the erosion of free speech. These developments are related to the promotion of a certain type of postmodern social justice critical theory, typified by critical race theory (CRT), and this article will explore their impact on education. Tenets of CRT, as espoused by mainstream writers, will be summarised and contrasted with liberal values to illustrate the concerns raised. In the example of social work education, the case is made… [Direct]
(2024). African American Female 'Administrators' Perceptions and Experiences in K-12 Schools: A Descriptive Case Study. ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, National University. The problem addressed in the study was the challenges that made it difficult for African American female administrators to move into educational leadership positions. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive case study was to explore how African American female school administrators described the challenges they faced in their journey to educational leadership positions. The study had a multidimensional framework – Black feminist thought and Critical race theory to provide the viewpoints of African American women in school leadership. Participants were chosen using purposeful sampling from 24 African American female principals and assistant principals in rural public K-12 schools in the United States. Data was collected through Zoom from interviews and two focus groups. Data analysis was conducted using Saldana's thematic analysis protocol for qualitative data. The InVivo coding system was utilized to code and categorically discover themes. Four themes emerged from the data… [Direct]
(2022). DisCrit Literacies: Early Childhood Teachers Critically Reading School as Text and Imagining an Otherwise. Reading Research Quarterly, v57 n4 p1237-1257 Oct-Dec. In this participatory case study, we explored the critical literacy practices of early-career early childhood teachers in a year-long inquiry group, examining how they collectively read school as text through DisCrit literacies. Bridging literature from Disability Critical Race Theory (DisCrit) and critical literacies scholarship, DisCrit literacies involve practices of critically reading school itself as text and uncovering intersecting systems of ableism and racism. We describe teachers' collective engagement in DisCrit literacies, in which they: (a) deconstructed literacy practices and broader schooling mechanisms through repeated shared readings; (b) implicated themselves through critical readings of literacy classroom artifacts; and (c) identified and designed spaces of subversion and refusal in their literacy classrooms. Across each of these practices, early career early childhood teachers in our study used critical reading practices rooted in interdependence and presumptions… [Direct]
(2017). Multiracial Women Students and Racial Stereotypes on the College Campus. Journal of College Student Development, v58 n4 p475-491 May. Researchers have explored how multiracial women students encounter different racialized experiences when compared to their monoracial peers and multiracial men on campus, suggesting that their experiences with racial stereotypes may also diverge from both of these populations. Guided by critical race theory, in this study I explored 10 multiracial women students' experiences with racial stereotypes at a historically White institution…. [Direct]
(2022). Traveller Students Being and Relating to An/'Other': Identity, Belonging, and Inter-Ethnic Peer Relationships in a Highly Diverse Post-Primary School. Irish Educational Studies, v41 n3 p551-572. Irish Travellers have long endured racism in Ireland. In education, they have experienced significantly lower participation and academic achievement rates relative to the settled community. This paper draws on a study examining how an intercultural approach to education was implemented in one urban DEIS post-primary school with a highly diverse student population. Informed by Critical Race Theory, an in-depth qualitative case study design was implemented. Data collection involved twenty-eight semi-structured interviews with staff, Traveller students, 'other' minority ethnic students, and White settled Irish students. Data analysis involved several coding stages, and the development of categories. This paper examines one category focusing on issues of identity, belonging, and relationships amongst minority ethnic groups in the school, with a particular focus on the Traveller participants. Participants' constructions of 'normality' are considered with regard to how people 'look' and… [Direct]
(2023). The Compounding Impact of Racial Microaggressions: The Experiences of African American Students in Predominantly White Institutions. Teachers College Record, v125 n5 p43-55 May. Background/Context: African American students often encounter racial microaggressions when attending predominantly white institutions (PWIs). Experiencing racial microaggressions can negatively affect African American students' feelings of belonging to the campus community. Racial microaggressions can also affect their physical and emotional stability. Purpose of Study: Using a critical race theory (CRT) framework, we focused on the centrality of race and racism and intersectionality. We examined how experiencing racial microaggressions influenced African American students' (n = 15) feelings of belonging at PWIs. In addition, we explored how students emotionally coped with their experiences. Research Design: A semi-structured interview was conducted with participants. Using thematic analysis through the process of open coding and axial coding, we developed themes based on students' experiences with microaggressions, feelings of belonging, and coping strategies. We connected the… [Direct]
(2023). Justice for Moms in College: Investigating Factors That Influence Student-Parents' Degree Completion Timelines. ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, California State University, Sacramento. Student-parents' bachelor's degree completion timelines are protracted, yet insufficient research examines this phenomenon. Studies show most student-parents take between 9 and 15 years to earn a bachelor's degree (Augustine, 2016; Attewell & Lavin; 2007; Institute for Women's Policy Research [IWPR], 2020; Lindsay & Gillium, 2018). What factors influence these extended degree completion timelines? Nationally, student-parents are a population many times marginalized (IWPR, 2020), and that is also true at Sacramento State. Three-quarters of Sacramento State student-parents are low-income women, half are first-generation college students, and two-thirds are from communities of color. To address the urgent disparity, I conducted a mixed methods study of student-parents at Sacramento State. Specifically, this study examines degree completion timelines from an educational equity perspective using Critical Race Theory's concept of intersectionality as a lens to examine secondary… [Direct]
(2023). Equity Training: The Impact on School Leaders. ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, La Sierra University. This phenomenological study focused on the impact of equity training on leaders in school districts as it relates to equity and multicultural sensitivity. The critical race theory (CRT) framework provided a vehicle from which to incorporate different perspectives on the experiences of those of the racialized majority. The idea of CRT was to uncover and break down social injustice by challenging racism through understanding racial inequality, privilege, and power dynamics that are pervasive within all educational systems. Equity training in this study proved to have a positive and powerful impact on school leaders through self-awareness, promoting access for students of color, increasing cultural awareness, and committing to social justice. In addition, this study demonstrated that administrators had to remember that it was their responsibility to bring systemic change through policies, procedures, and community relations that would reflect the culture of the students and the… [Direct]