(2024). Girl, Let Me Tell You: Exploring the Narratives of Black Women Professional Staff in Higher Education and How They Engage in Acts of Everyday Resistance. ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, The University of Memphis. Black women have existed on the margins of higher education for many years. Our voices, perspectives, stories, struggles, and even our successes have been largely ignored by the dominant sociocultural group. Additionally, most of the literature on Black women in higher education either lumps us all together regardless of role or focuses on faculty or student affairs professionals. There is a lack of literature that focuses exclusively on the experiences of Black women professional staff in higher education. This study was an attempt to address this gap in the literature by describing the narratives of Black women professional staff in higher education and foregrounding their experiences of working as professional staff in higher education at a Historically White Institution (HWI) in the Mid-South region of the United States. The present study consisted of two research questions, and they were: (1) What are the narratives of Black women professional staff about their experiences in… [Direct]
(2018). Identifying Dysfunctional Education Ecologies: A DisCrit Analysis of Bias in the Classroom. Equity & Excellence in Education, v51 n2 p114-131. In this critical theoretical conceptualization situated in Disability Critical Race Theory (Annamma, Connor, & Ferri, 2013), we identify the current education system as a series of dysfunctional education ecologies. We next analyze how dysfunctional education ecologies are maintained through implicit bias, consider how these biases may impact classroom interactions, and reframe bias as dysconscious racism (King, 1991). Finally, we explore how school personnel can use transformative praxis (Freire, 1970) to actively dismantle these dysfunctional education ecologies through a shift in both their epistemological and axiological commitments to develop functional ecologies of learning by enacting a DisCrit Classroom Ecology…. [Direct]
(1997). 25 Years of Multiculturalism–Past, Present and Future, Part II. Focus on Human Rights. Canadian Social Studies, v31 n4 p163-65 Sum. Evaluates the effect of multicultural education on racism in Canada. Maintains that racism is still an integral part of Canadian life and, in some instances, appears to be on the rise. Argues for a vigorous and consistent educational policy emphasizing multicultural and antiracist training. (MJP)…
(2023). Race and Dis/Ability Reporting in Higher Education Enrollment: A Quantitative Study in Intersectionality. ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, The University of Arizona. Historical, post-secondary enrollment data can provide insights into trends within self-reported racial/ethnic identities and dis/ability status over time. Research shows that students of color and students with dis/abilities often face bias and unique challenges when compared to their contemporaries. By acknowledging the American educational system's history of bias and discrimination toward these communities, this research has shed light on possible solutions for the creation of more equitable policies for future generations of students. My dissertation combines a quantitative study of historical enrollment data – provided by the National Center for Education Statistics – with a literature and historical review of Critical Race Theory, DisCrit, law, and educational policy. The trends and findings demonstrated herein will contribute in a unique way to educational policy by considering the aspects of race, dis/ability status, and the post-secondary enrollment process in a way which… [Direct]
(2020). Education Policy and Black Teachers: Perspectives on Race, Policy, and Teacher Diversity. Journal of Teacher Education, v71 n4 p449-463 Sep-Oct. This article examines interview responses from prominent education researchers who were asked to consider the role of major educational policies in the underrepresentation of Black teachers in public schools. Participants considered policies related to accountability and market reforms including testing, school choice and charter schools, and alternative teacher education. Although participants agreed that Black teachers contribute greatly to academic achievement for students, their views differed about whether or how policies undermine the presence of Black teachers in schools. We offer conceptual distinctions between participants' views, including those who described policy as having a mixed impact on Black teachers, those who described policy as having an unintended but harmful impact, and those who described policy as playing a tacit role in systemic marginalization of Black teachers and as a form of institutional racism. We find benefit in all participants' views and offer… [Direct]
(2022). Rhetoric vs Reality: The Disconnect between Policy and Practice for Teachers Implementing Aboriginal Education in Their Schools. Education Policy Analysis Archives, v30 n97 spec iss Jul. In Australia, pervasive deficit representations and positioning of Aboriginal peoples continue to impact on teachers' capacity to meaningfully embed Aboriginal curriculum and pedagogies into their teaching. This sits within a policy context driven by standardization, competition and market forces focused on closing the gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal student outcomes to address the statistical dissonance caused by Aboriginal underachievement. Our analysis is informed by Bacchi's (2009) 'What's the 'problem' represented to be?' analytical tool. We reveal discourses that position Aboriginal peoples as the 'problem' and the effects of these on teacher practice. Using the 2019 Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration, which represents a national partisan vision of Australian education, we demonstrate how discourses of community engagement, Reconciliation and data-driven solutions continue to position Aboriginal peoples as incapable, and government as savior. This flags… [PDF]
(2024). "Esta Carta de Amor es Para Ti": An Autoethnography of an Undocumented Student's Survival in Higher Education. ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, Loyola Marymount University. This dissertation shed light on the need for higher education institutions to design support systems for undocumented students inside and outside of the classroom, especially when they apply to or attend prestigious universities. In addition, this study highlighted how I survived higher education, my home, and U.S. society through my multiple identities. The goal was to use my life experiences to show how powerful it is to be an undocumented student and how such students continue to influence laws, policies, and institutional change to make higher education more accessible and attainable. This study added to the literature on subaltern undocumented student survival by telling the stories of my undocumented educational journey while illuminating my identities as a Latino, gay, first-generation, low-income student. Undocumented students struggle not only with institutional oppression, xenophobia, poverty, racism, legal discrimination, and harsh immigration policies but also with a… [Direct]
(2023). Navigating Success: Factors Influencing the Matriculation and Graduation of Black Male Students Attending Predominantly White Institutions in Higher Education. ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, Gannon University. Education administrators are placing greater demands on university faculty, staff, and admission counselors to enroll and retain more students. Understanding this transition and the associated challenges is important for institutions of higher education so they can better assist black male students as they navigate through college and universities.?However, research is extremely inadequate regarding the factors that contribute to enrollment and retention of Black male students. The purpose of this dissertation was to learn from men who identify as a Black male, attended a predominately White institution (PWI) and graduated with their 4-year degree what were the significant factors that contributed to their successful matriculation. This study was a phenomenological study (Creswell & Creswell, 2018) that used heuristic inquiry to investigate the experiences and perceptions of the research participants. Heuristic inquiry not only represents the exploration of the everyday human… [Direct]
(2021). The Second ID: Critical Race Counterstories of Campus Police Interactions with Black Men at Historically White Institutions. Race, Ethnicity and Education, v24 n2 p149-166. Although campus racial climate on colleges and universities has been scrutinized in research on higher education, scholarship focused on Black male collegians' interactions with campus police remains limited. Considering how the logics of white supremacy and anti-Black racism have characterized policing across the nation, we assert that a critical examination of how those practices are mirrored on college campuses can illuminate the challenges Black students face when navigating white campus spaces. Drawing on Critical Race Theory, this study reports on the encounters between three Black male students and campus police officers at three distinct historically white institutions. We posit that for Black college students, the student identification (ID) evokes a legacy of surveillance that can be traced to the freedom papers that freed slaves were required to carry while traversing white spaces as a means to affirm rights to freely belong. We conclude with implications and directions… [Direct]
(2021). Critical Arts Pedagogy: Nurturing Critical Consciousness and Self-Actualization through Art Education. Art Education, v74 n5 p19-24. As antiracist and antibias education becomes more popular, many educators are now teaching more "diverse" artists in their curriculum. However, educators who strive for conscientization and social justice through their pedagogy must go beyond merely diversifying the artists being taught (Acuff, 2018). Educators must put lesson planning, classroom culture, and teaching style all in service of one core goal: to transform classrooms into liberatory spaces where students are supported in recognizing, processing, and challenging systems of oppression (racism, colorism, heterosexism, abusive capitalism, settler colonialism, and cultural hegemony). In this article the author provides examples of lessons taught in her classroom. Each lesson provides opportunities for young people to reflect critically on their lives and their world. Over time, students sharpen their critical lens and create more and more complex, conceptual artwork. This culminates in a final project in which… [Direct]
(2021). Wonder as an Invitation to Engage in Environmental Justice. Electronic Journal for Research in Science & Mathematics Education, v25 n3 p62-67. Environmental justice, a phrase first used in reference to the activism of a community in Warren County, NC in the late 1970s, is a broad category of work at the intersection of caring for nature and caring for people. Residents of the majority black county sought relief from the impending designation of a landfill site in the county as a dumping site for toxic chemicals. This effort was supported by the NAACP and both local congregations and national staff of the United Church of Christ (UCC). Their efforts led to the first true national attention on what has become known as "environmental racism." In this article, I describe additional ways the UCC continued to play a key role in the environmental justice movement. I then describe the current effort to develop a certificate program in environmental justice by PATHWAYS Theological Education, Inc and the role wonder has played throughout all of these efforts…. [PDF]
(2021). Whom Do I See in the Staff Room Every Day? The Sources of Resilience of Teachers of Color. Teacher Education Quarterly, v48 n2 p69-89 Spr. In the United States, K-12 students are likely to go through school without learning from a single teacher of Color (TOC), yet research shows that all students, especially students of Color, stand to benefit from having TOCs. Therefore increasing the diversity of the teaching working force has gained public concern in the past few years, especially given the higher attrition rates among TOCs. Still, there are TOCs who stay and persist in the face of racism and alienation in schools. The goal of this study was to understand the sources of strength of TOCs who have taught for 5 or more years. The themes identified from the in-depth one-on-one interviews with 10 TOCs in different parts of the United States indicate that growth-fostering relationships and a social justice-oriented teacher education are key sources of strength. Importantly, participants highlighted the importance of having someone "reflecting back to them" in their school buildings…. [PDF]
(2023). Incorporating Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Awareness and Knowledge in a First-Semester Organic Chemistry Classroom. Journal of Chemical Education, v100 n11 p4335-4342. Embracing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the chemistry classroom is crucial for creating an inclusive learning environment that will have a positive effect on student's learning, success, and hence, retention in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). As such, a number of DEI approaches have recently been identified to foster awareness and appreciation of DEI into undergraduate chemistry education. However, in addition to creating DEI awareness, studies or educational approaches whereby undergraduate students are being exposed to some basic DEI knowledge are limited. Hence, in this work, three key DEI initiatives were incorporated into a first semester of Organic Chemistry at a primarily undergraduate institution. The first initiative included a weekly 5-10 min DEI video-discussion activity focusing on building awareness and basic knowledge such as DEI terminology, implicit bias, microaggression, gender, and systemic racism in STEM. The profile of several… [PDF] [Direct]
(2021). A Comprehensive Antiracist Framework for SLHS Education: A Sample Curriculum Related to Arab American Populations. Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders, v5 n3 Article 12. Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students in higher education programs in Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences (SLHS) experience structural racism, entering a majority white profession, while confronting social inequalities in their personal and professional communities. A vision of an antiracist decolonized antiracist curriculum enhances the integration of BIPOC students in academic programs in the field, while also facilitating the preparation of non-BIPOC students to meet the needs of a growing and diverse community of individuals with communication disorders. Such a curriculum must be comprehensively designed to include pedagogy, community-based, and research based educational activities, and to adequately prepare students to be culturally responsive within our profession. The quantity and quality of available resources on diverse populations in the field is woefully limited, so this paper exemplifies the principles of this approach through research, teaching,… [PDF]
(2021). Seeing the Difference: Anticipatory Reasoning of Observation and Its Double Gesture in Teacher Education. Curriculum Inquiry, v50 n5 p378-399. This article explores the cultural practice of observation in teacher education, focusing on how teachers "learn to see" the differences between students. Conceptualizing "the visual" as a curricular problem that produces certain knowledge as in/valuable, I historicize the practice of scientific observation as embodying anticipatory reasoning, which directs teachers to see, name, and categorize the differences in the present in relation to the normative future. The analysis highlights the double gesture of observation; whereas teachers understand seeing diversity as a precondition to providing pedagogical and curricular supports for all students, this practice actually maintains the boundaries that demarcate human differences. The findings provide insights into evidence-based education today. Compared to the teachers at the turn of the twentieth century who contributed to visualizing racial differences, today's evidence-based reforms prepare teachers to reduce the… [Direct]