Education Commons^™

Remnants Of Educational Leadership And Desegregation Etched In The Memories Of Black Educational Leaders: An Oral History, Janice Barge Clarke

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this study the experiences of Black (a.k.a. African Americans/ Negroes) educationalleaders were explored focusing on the period during the transition to a more desegregated public- school setting in the state of Florida. Using retrospective storytelling and reflections of ‘leading’ during desegregation, the lived experiences of those in educational leadership roles were captured in the form of oral histories and analyzed using critical race theory. The effects of desegregation is recounted from their vantage point, from the dissolution of the ‘all Black’ schools to the impact it had on the communities. The research question was: What are the stories told …

Color Defined: An Autoethnographic Exploration Of How Race, Trauma, Gun Violence, And Grief Connect For A Black Mother, Kokita Dirton Wilson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Black mothers are disproportionately affected by fatal shootings and the need for making meaning and finding purpose remains overlooked as a vital component of building resilience in their grief journey. The purpose of this study was to (a) reflect on being a Black mother of a fatal shooting victim; (b) understand the grief and healing process that follows; (c) connect my experiences to those within the larger Black grief community, and (d) by example, help other grieving mothers navigate through their grief struggles. I used two research questions: 1) How can I learn about my grief process by using personal …

Bridging The Gap: A Closer Look At Educational Inequities And Strategies To Support African American Students, Terry Daily-Davis, Lachrisa Crenshaw, Gina M. Jenkins

Dissertations

This autoethnography shares our personal experiences, narratives, and counter-stories as we view the social justice issues of inequities in the education of African American students. Through our journey, we highlighted our personal views and real scenarios as seen through the eyes of a reading specialist, social worker, and college-level administrator. Critical Race Theory in Education (CRT) served as our primary guiding force allowing us to focus on the following tenets: counter-stories, permanence of racism, whiteness as property, interest convergence, and critique of liberalism (Dixson, Anderson & Donnor, 2017). Critical Race Theory (CRT) is the framework in Social Sciences that examines …

A Phenomenological Exploration Of The Leadership Development Experiences Of Black Women, Oresha Sharlene Greenidge Foster

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The leadership pathway for Black women has unique challenges and obstacles due to the double jeopardy of their race and gender. The lack of critical empirical work on the leadership development of Black women has left a gap in the understanding of how racial and gendered identities influence their development as successful leaders. This research was conducted to examine how Black women developed as leaders and how they made meaning of their leadership development experiences. A qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was conducted framed by concepts of intersectionality and gendered racism to produce a comprehensive description of the phenomenon of the …

Systemic Racism In Education: Perspectives Of Teachers Of Color, Stephany Vallejo

Education | Master's Theses

Many strides have been made in addressing equity, diversity and social justice in the field of education. However there has remained a gap in the representation of the voices of Teachers of Color. Current literature reveals that there is underlying systemic racism deterring People of Color from pursuing a career in education for a variety of reasons including social, financial, racial and political barriers. Applying Critical Race Theory, critical studies of Whiteness and Microaggressions this study analyzes the experiences of Teachers of Color through their educational career. This research uses a qualitative methods approach with an emphasis on a constructivist …

“Way Down Upon The Suwanee River”: Examining The Inclusion Of Black History In Florida’S Curriculum Standards, William Newell

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As education focuses increasingly on standards based assessment, social studies must be examined for its integration of Black History in the United States History curriculum. Using a Critical Race Theory lens, this directed content analysis attempts to examine the Florida Standards for United States History to determine if and how Black History is integrated into United States History courses. The study also makes use of Banks’ (1994) “levels of integration” to explore the degree to which this is accomplished. In addition, lesson plans created and/or endorsed by the state of Florida are analyzed for their inclusion of Black History. Data …

Difference Makers: A Multi-Case Study Of The Conditions Under Which Superintendents Build Equitable Learning Environments To Support Black Students, Nicole Linsey Jones

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze the stories shared by superintendents in a Midwestern state about how they approached the work of developing more equitable learning environments for Black students. The study examined the dispositions of the superintendents, the actions taken by the superintendents in each school district, and the influence of the district environment on the superintendents’ ability to carry out their work. A qualitative, multiple case study approach was used to conduct interviews and gather public documents and data from eight superintendents working in academically high performing, suburban school districts. The findings revealed that the eight …

Negotiating Race-Related Tensions: How White Educational Leaders Recognize, Confront, And Dialogue About Race And Racism, Amy Jo Samuels

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite exposure of educational disparities for students of color, as well as the notion that educational training rarely discusses race and racism, there continues to be a lack of discourse on race, racism, and anti-racism in educational leadership. Subsequently, it is important to challenge deficit thinking and encourage further examination of the deeply-rooted foundation of oppression. The study explored personal narratives of white educational leaders who oppose racial inequity to heighten awareness about conceptualizations of race, racism, and anti-racism. The research involved interviewing educational leaders in three groups: 1) aspiring, 2) currently-practicing, and 3) recently-retired. Eight participants were selected to …

An Examination Of A Parochial Choice School Serving Latina/O Students: Perceptions, Realities And Promises, Tatiana Joseph

Theses and Dissertations

In Milwaukee, The Milwaukee Parental School Choice Program (MPCP) is a program that "allows low-income Milwaukee Students to attend participating private or religious schools located in Milwaukee with no charge for tuition if certain eligibility criteria are met" (Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction). The program allows for qualifying families to use a portion of the public educational funding selected (voucher) for their student to attend a public school or the private school of their choice. For low income families, school choice is an opportunity to flee from schools that struggle with dropouts, absenteeism and low achievement in hopes of a …

Culturally-Relevant Information Literacy: A Case Study, Rob Morrison

Dissertations

Information Literacy is a process for finding, using, evaluating and incorporating information into an individuals’ knowledge base. This process has been formalized into the ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education. The concept of Information Literacy as articulated in the ACRL Standards is based on Western knowledge and ways of knowing that resides in academic disciplines. This knowledge is privileged and regarded as universal, rational, and superior to other forms of knowledge and does not incorporate or reflect non-Western epistemologies. This study questioned the universality of this process as reflective of being grounded in Western culture and knowledge.

The …

Stitched From The Soul: An Auto/Biographical Inquiry Into One Black Woman Administrator's Voice And Vision, Sonya D. Jefferson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Author's abstract: This study is an auto/biographical inquiry into my voice and vision as a Black woman administrator. I explore the lives of four generations of Black women in my family. Each of these women -- Hattie C. Wilcher (my great grandmother), Connie W. Duggan (my mother), Danielle R. Lowe (my daughter), and I -- have studied and/or taught in public schools in the U. S. south. I explore how my family narrative parallels community and historical narratives and contests the meta narrative in existing literature. I explore these narratives through the lenses of Critical Race Theory and Black Feminist …