Digital Commons Network^™

Human Rights Gone Wrong, Frances E. Perozo

Capstones

My community is made up of people who are victims/survivors of human rights violations. The two communities I worked with Mott Haven arrestees who were beaten and abused by the NYPD in July 2020 during a protest against police brutality, and newly arrived migrants coming into New York City from the southern border in the last eighteen months, The New New Yorkers. On June 4, 2020, 300 people were peacefully protesting in Mott Haven, a low-income neighborhood in Harlem, when they were kettled and arrested by the NYPD ten minutes before 8 pm, which was the time of a temporary …

Aequitas: Seeking Equilibrium In Title Ix, Raymond Trent Cromartie

Sturm College of Law: Faculty Scholarship

Over the past two decades, the scope of Title IX has expanded drastically and now includes the investigation and adjudication of sexual misconduct cases through campus tribunals. Beginning in 2011, the Obama Administration, through a “Dear Colleague Letter” and subsequent guidance, initiated this process by establishing guidelines that required schools to develop and implement policies and procedures for the handling of sexual misconduct cases. Following the publication of the Obama-era guidance, schools scrambled to ensure compliance with the federal guidance, which led to a myriad of applications by universities. Unfortunately, the fallout from the 2011 guidance was widespread litigation initiated …

Lived Experiences Of Primary And Secondary Teachers At One State-Approved Private Special Education School In Connecticut Regarding Disparities Among Racially And Ethnically Diverse Students In Special Education, Keumok Heo

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

The problem explored in this qualitative phenomenological study was the need to understand the lived experiences of primary and secondary teachers at one state-approved private special education school in Connecticut regarding disparities among racially and ethnically diverse students with emotional or learning disorders in special education (Cavendish et al., 2018; Jackson et al., 2016; Leung, 2021; Lhamon et al., 2019; Skrtic et al., 2021). The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of primary and secondary teachers at one state-approved private special education school in Connecticut regarding disparities among racially and ethnically diverse students with emotional or …

Exploration Of Privilege And Preschool Teachers’ Demographics Associated With Teachers’ Self-Efficacy In Culturally Responsive Classroom Management, Katherine Madison

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Every child in America is entitled to a free public education; however, racial disparities in academics and discipline continue to grow in America’s school system (Glock et al., 2019; Muñiz, 2019). These racial disparities begin in preschool, following the students throughout their school years. African American students, specifically African American males, are three times more likely than their Caucasian peers to be suspended in preschool (CRDC, 2016; Musu-Gillette et al., 2016). Suspension at an early age correlates with students entering juvenile detentions, prisons and incompletion of schooling (Love, 2014; Meek & Gilliam,2016; Muñiz, 2019). Culturally responsive teaching and classroom management …

An Exploration Into Health Equity Discourse In Mississippi: Organizational Commitments And Practitioner Perspectives, Thuy-Vy Lillian Pham

Honors Theses

This thesis takes a sociological approach to examine healthcare workers' beliefs and medical organizations’ solidarity statements related to diversity and equity and how these discourses aligned and/or diverged. Through interviews with healthcare providers in Mississippi and content analysis of solidarity statements, the study finds that discussions on health disparities more frequently addressed socioeconomic inequality rather than systemic racism, diverging from organizational statements. This emphasis may partly stem from the demographics of the study participants, who were predominantly White—which also reflected the staff where they worked. Additionally, while healthcare workers recognized structural issues related to health disparities, they often showed hesitancy …

A Case Study Of Diverse Faculty Recruitment In A Graduate Higher Education Institution, Miguel Valenzuela

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this collective case study was to describe higher education faculty’s experience with recruitment and retention through the university hiring process and to discover the equity standards of the phenomenon for higher education institutions. The importance of recruitment and retention of diverse faculty within higher education institutions is imperative for the health of the institution and will assist in furthering diversity initiatives for faculty recruitment that will enable better student experiences. The theory guiding this study was critical race theory (CRT) that was initially intended to be used in the legal field. However, CRT has been used in …

Stabilizing And Empowering Women In Higher Education: Aligning, Centering, And Building, Natasha N. Johnson

CJC Publications

The importance of higher education in today’s world and workforce cannot be overstated. It is well-known that higher education leads to better jobs, higher salaries, and elevated social status. Unfortunately, women have been historically underrepresented in the realm of higher education. In recent years, however, numerous efforts have been made to stabilize and empower women in this arena. As such, this chapter aims to provide an in-depth analysis of these progressive efforts. Stabilizing and empowering women in higher education is essential in promoting gender equality and generational social progress. While substantial gains have been made in recent years, much remains …

Office Of Equity And Inclusion Newsletter - August 2023, Office Of Equity And Inclusion, East Tennessee State University

Office of Equity and Inclusion Newsletters

No abstract provided.

Restorative Justice Implementation: Examining The Effects Of White Fragility And Race On Implementation Of Restorative Justice Practices In Schools, Heather M. Thompson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Current zero-tolerance discipline policies are ineffective and contribute to disproportionality in school discipline. Restorative justice practices (RJP) are an equitable alternative approach to exclusionary practices. RJP has been used in schools prior to adequate research informing implementation, which has led to variability in implementation and outcomes. In particular, teacher willingness to participate in the implementation of RJP has been noted to be variable and limited among research studies. It is necessary to explore teacher attitudes to determine what underlies this lack of participation to inform the next steps for RJP implementation in schools. Specifically, since disparities in discipline are related …

Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed Pedagogy In Art Education, Amelia Guido

Masters Theses, 2020-current

This thesis explores the implementation of Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed (ECTI) ecosystem in art education. With the increasing levels of anxiety and depression among adolescents and the growing emphasis on social-emotion learning (SEL), this study sought to address the ways art education may benefit students socially and emotionally. However, through research, an understanding and a need for an equity-centered education was formed. While SEL practices place emphasis on utilizing the social and emotional skills-based core competencies, ECTI education focuses on addressing trauma and systemic inequities to create supportive and inclusive learning environments.

The literature review encompasses an understanding of trauma and its …

Cultivating Compassion: School Discipline Through A Lens Of Equity, Wellbeing, And Decolonization, Kristi L. Blakeway

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Punitive and exclusionary discipline practices cause harm to elementary aged students weakening their connection to school. Such practices are reactive in nature and fail to understand the needs of students who demonstrate challenging behaviour. This organizational improvement plan provides a framework to reimagine school discipline through a lens of equity, wellbeing, and decolonization. It is an invitation to look under the surface to better understand students who struggle with behaviour in elementary classrooms. The school discussed is a large, suburban public school in British Columbia serving students in kindergarten through to grade seven. A conceptual change model, the transformative wheel, …

Perceptions And Impacts Of Unpaid Internships Within Expressive Therapies Education: A Literature Review, Sophie Mcconkie

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Internships are an essential part of expressive therapies education as they prepare students with the necessary skills for clinical work. In the current model, it has been normalized for internships to be unpaid despite a lack of documented rationale behind this practice. This review uses the available literature on internships to question and critically analyze unpaid internships in expressive therapies education. In recent years, increased criticism has been expressed about the practice of unpaid internships across many industries. Research has shown that students with more connection to social, cultural, and financial capital are favored for internships, creating inequitable access. Those …

Law School News: Joyce And Bill Cummings Of Cummings Foundation To Deliver Keynote Address At Rwu Commencement 4-20-2023, Jill Rodrigues

Life of the Law School (1993- )

No abstract provided.

Wei Colleges Performance Report; Fy21 Closeout, Yolanda J. Clark, Andy Blanke, Brian Richard

Reports, Whitepapers, Articles, and Other Publications

The purpose of this report is to examine how Workforce Equity Initiatives (WEI) colleges create an equitable learning environment and workforce equity for a diverse group of students from disproportionately impacted areas. Promising practices that demonstrate how diversity, equity, and inclusion are integrated throughout the WEI lifecycle were identified by the NIU-CGS evaluation team. Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 closeout reports were analyzed to present student characteristics, key performance indicators, and enrollment in high-demand occupation training programs. Promising practices were identified during the qualitative data collection interview process with frontline staff and administrators.

Sticky Situations: Understanding The Law And Life, Krystal Banks

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

Law and life go hand in hand. Understanding the law and how it connects to life can be an effective tool in teaching youth and adults the value of making good decisions when it comes to life and the law. Sticky Situations places real-world situations in the context of learning how to apply the law and effectively respond to life's sticky situations.

Office Of Equity And Inclusion Newsletter - March 2023, Office Of Equity And Inclusion, East Tennessee State University

Office of Equity and Inclusion Newsletters

No abstract provided.

Ensuring Equity In Education: End Exclusionary Discipline To Protect All Students Access To Learning, Emma Daugherty, Dominika Dyminski, Lacey Erickson, Carly Manderfeld

Master of Social Work Student Policy Advocacy Briefs

A student's race, disability status and previous history of discipline are leading factors associated with being subjected to exclusionary discipline. This contributes to a negative cycle of discipline for our Black, Indigenous, and other students of color (BIPOC) and students with disabilities. This cycle prevents BIPOC and students with disabilities from learning, growing, and reaching their full potential. Minnesota must disrupt this negative disciplinary cycle by ending subjective disciplinary practices and investing in practices that promote an equity and a healthy school environment for all students.

An Interactive Training Model To Promote Cultural Humility For Early Childhood Professionals, Anjali G. Ferguson, Chimdindu Ohayagha, Jackie Robinson Brock

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

The disability population in the United States has grown, with an estimated 2.6 million households having at least one child with a disability in 2019 (Young, 2019). Racially minoritized children disproportionately represent disability categories with Black and Indigenous children being overdiagnosed with emotional disturbance disabilities (Oswald & Coutinho, 2001). Further, minoritized children often experience greater rates of complex trauma (Horowitz, Weine, & Jekel, 1995) and this exposure significantly impacts minoritized children’s mental health (Flannery, Wester, & Singer, 2004). Included in these social determinants of health are the impacts of racism and racial trauma. Racism has been associated with mental health …

Race Matters: The Gospel, Racial Reconciliation, And The Church, Terry Crist

Doctor of Ministry

The modern Pentecostal movement has been marred by racial incongruence and division. Defying the segregationist laws of the day, the earliest revivals of the twentieth century were racially integrated, reflecting a biblical vision for the oneness of a new humanity in Christ empowered by the Holy Spirit. And yet, the unity born from these early revivals proved insufficient to sustain racial equity within the movements. A century later, Pentecostal (and Charismatic) churches fail to reflect racial diversity at the highest levels of authority, direction setting, and power-sharing. The lack of clarity surrounding key theological concepts such as the imago Dei, …

The Opportunity Of Now: Adopting Open Educational Resources In The Sociology Classroom And Beyond, Robert D. Francis, Carleigh E. Hill, Jenise Overmeier

Sociology Faculty Scholarship

There is no better time than now fort sociologists to adopt open educational resources (OER), and sociology as a discipline is well positioned to lead. Adopting OER takes seriously the well-documented financial challenges faced by many students, supports classroom and campus goals of equity and inclusion, and allows for increased instructor flexibility. However, OER are not without their difficulties and limitations. This conversation article suggests four ways for instructors to begin or advance their utilization of OER. Ask your librarian, start with an open textbook, join the existing OER conversation, and incorporate OER within one's broader commitment to inclusive and …

Strategies For Addressing Chronic Absenteeism In The Post-Pandemic Era, David Naff, Fatemah A. Khawaji, Morgan Meadowes, Kim Dupre, Zehra Sahin Ilkorkor, Jill Flynn, Jean Samuel, Christina Tillery, Meg Sheriff

MERC Publications

Although chronic absenteeism has been an enduring concern in PK-12 schools, it has doubled since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. To explore strategies for addressing this issue, this MERC research and policy brief answers five questions: 1) What are trends in chronic absenteeism pre and post-pandemic?, 2) What factors contribute to chronic absenteeism and which student groups are particularly vulnerable? 3) What are the connections between chronic absenteeism and other student outcomes? 4) What strategies are effective in reducing chronic absenteeism?, and 5) What are policies at the state and school board level intended to help address chronic absenteeism? …

The Racial Discipline Gap In Education: A Master's Thesis, Emily Mychal Stripe

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Racial inequities persist throughout the United States’ educational system despite the increased attention on reducing exclusionary discipline. These inequities, conceptualized as educational and disciplinary gaps between Black and White students, produce negative outcomes for students of color including decreased graduation rates and an increased risk of entering the criminal justice system. In this review, I analyzed current literature in order to identify multiple factors that impact the racial discipline gap at the familial, organizational, and individual levels. Based on the literature reviewed and analyzed here, closing the racial discipline gap requires educational stakeholders to implement a framework of principles, policies, …

Intersectionality In Leadership: Spotlighting The Experiences Of Black Women Dei Leaders In Historically White Academic Institutions, Natasha N. Johnson

CJC Publications

Due to their multiple identities, Black women navigate gendered and racialized pathways to leadership in the US education industry. The journey for Black women in and en route to positions of academic leadership is even more nuanced and multiplicative. Little, though, is known about the effects of their intersecting identities and the structural barriers they encounter in this sphere. To deepen our communal understanding of this phenomenon, this chapter highlights the existing theories and research on the race-gender dyad in the context of academic leadership. Examining the individual and layered effects of race and gender on the professional realities of …

To Change Everything, We Need Everyone: Belonging, Equity, And Diversity In The U.S. Climate Movement, Clara Changxin Fang

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Climate change affects everyone but lack of racial diversity in the climate movement makes it challenging for it to be truly inclusive, champion solutions that are equitable, and affect transformative change. This dissertation describes a two-part study of diversity in the climate movement using a survey of 1,003 climate activists and interviews with 17 people of color who work or volunteer in the U.S. climate movement. The study analyzes differences between Whites and people of color in terms of their (a) demographics, (b) engagement in climate action, (c) experience of climate impacts, (d) worries, (e) challenges and barriers to participation, …

Case Study And Evaluation Of The Implementation Of Restorative Family Conferences In An Alternative Placement School, Linda Faye Mcghghy

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite the lack of research supporting zero tolerance policies and practices, these exclusionary practices and policies have resulted in the doubling of the number of students suspended from school. They contribute to exclusionary consequences and, in effect, these practices create negative academic, social and emotional outcomes for students often resulting in students entering the criminal justice system (school-to-prison-pipeline), which disproportionately impact Black students, students with disabilities, and children living in poverty. These facts are especially troubling since there is ample research that discipline practices supporting student physical, mental and social well being such as Social Emotional Learning (SEL), Multi-Tiered System …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of African American Female Educators Becoming Urban School Principals, Tondra Bailey-Collins

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the problem of why there are so few African American women in urban school principal roles in comparison to other racial groups. African American educators have a significant impact on African American students. Additionally, the need for diversity is not exclusive to African American educators and children, but diverse staff overall impacts student achievement levels and improves equity in disciplinary practices. The purpose of this study was to understand the lived experiences of African American women who are currently or were previously urban school principals. Through the theoretical lenses of critical race theory and social inclusion theory, …

Justice That Heals: Transforming Discipline In Schools Through Restorative Practices, Sophia Diomande

CMC Senior Theses

Discipline is not simply a tool but a weapon — one that American educators have wielded for generations to regulate children and enforce habits of self-control and accountability. In a world where institutionalized forms of discrimination continue to plague judicial and educational systems alike, vis-à-vis the school-to-prison pipeline, the question must be asked: When does discipline stray beyond its intended purpose and into the realm of punishment? This thesis discusses the historical and contemporary implications of punitive discipline and its effects on students, particularly students of color and disabled students. Retributive policies such as suspensions, expulsions, physical restraint, and seclusions …

Affirmatively Resisting, Ezra Rosser

Articles in Law Reviews & Other Academic Journals

This Article argues that administrative processes, in particular rulemaking’s notice-and-comment requirement, enable local institutions to fight back against federal deregulatory efforts. Federalism all the way down means that state and local officials can dissent from within when challenging federal action. Drawing upon the ways in which localities, states, public housing authorities, and fair housing nonprofits resisted the Trump Administration’s efforts to roll back federal fair housing enforcement, this Article shows how uncooperative federalism works in practice.

Despite the fact that the 1968 Fair Housing Act requires that the federal government affirmatively further fair housing (AFFH), the requirement was largely ignored …