Education Commons^™

Black School Leader Truth: How Black School Leader Epistemology Influences Liberatory Mindset Development In Their Staff, Orpheus Williams

Dissertations

Black students in the United States have consistently been denied access to empowering, culturally affirming, and responsive learning experiences in the traditional public system. The epistemological and pedagogical beliefs embedded in a liberatory mindset can subvert this pattern of disempowerment (Shujaa, 1998). Black school leaders (BSLs) who understand the systemic and institutional pressures Black children may face and have to overcome, having undergone similarly racialized experiences in school, are uniquely placed to create liberatory spaces for Black students by recruiting and developing these liberatory mindsets in their staff. This instrumental case study used qualitative research methods of front-porch pedagogy (McTighe …

Evading Race: A Critical Race Analysis Of Vocational/Career And Technical Education Policy, Chaddrick D. James-Gallaway, Arcasia D. James-Gallaway, Marci Rockey, Rahsaan A. Dawson

Faculty Publications - College of Education

Using critical race theory (CRT) as both our theory and analytical framework, we interrogated vocational, career, and technical education (VCTE) policy as a racial instrument. We applied key CRT themes to examine both primary sources; including historical and contemporary VCTE Acts (e.g., Perkins I-V) and Congressional reports; and secondary sources, including academic analyses of VCTE, its history, and related legislation. Findings demonstrate that VCTE policy upholds race-neutrality, which we argue is problematic because without being designated a special population, racially oppressed students stand to miss out on important funding opportunities that could dramatically alter and improve their lives.

“My Job Is To Teach”: How Teachers Approach State Laws In A Culturally Relevant Classroom, Clayton Jaskinia

Masters Theses

The murders of James Bryd. Jr, Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and Sandra Bland led to the Black Lives Matter movement. Following these deaths, schools across the country that were named after Confederates and statues of them were taken down, causing backlash against more substantial steps to address white supremacy in the curriculum. This qualitative study investigates how social studies teachers are reacting to laws that restrict the teaching of history and deny Texas students the right to be represented in their education. The findings demonstrate a link between teachers’ understanding of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy and their solidarity with students of …

Rhetoric Vs. Reality: A Critical Analysis Of Georgia’S Official Curriculum For United States History, Haley Dawkins

Doctor of Education in Secondary and Middle Grades Education Dissertations

As there has been an increasing focus in education on standards-based instruction and accountability through standardized assessment, it is extremely important to analyze the standards closely. This study sought to explore and understand whose voices, experiences, and perspectives are represented and prioritized in the curriculum through the analysis of state standards and additional curricular resources. Through the lens of Critical Race Theory, this qualitative content analysis was designed to examine three of the curricular resources developed by the Georgia Department of Education to investigate how the Georgia United States History curriculum addresses race, racism, and representations of communities and individuals …

How A Study Abroad Program Supports Its Students Of Color: A Case Study, Hannah E. L. Bloom

Master's Theses

Students of Color study abroad at rates lower than their white peers, thus missing out on the academic, personal, and intercultural benefits one can gain from studying abroad. The purpose of this thesis was to conduct a qualitative case study to examine how a study abroad program supports its Students of Color during the pre-departure phase of study abroad. This case study uses Critical Race Theory as its theoretical lens. Research for this case study included interviews with four study abroad practitioners from one study abroad program, and a review of the study abroad program’s online spaces. This thesis endeavored …

Narrowing The Achievement Gap: Culturally Responsive Teaching For African American Students, Haylee Batzer

Culminating Experience Projects

It is no surprise to educators that classrooms are filled with children of all different backgrounds. Most teacher preparation programs try their best to prepare educators to teach students of diversity and support inclusion in the classroom. However, educators are still finding themselves lacking the skills needed to incorporate culturally responsive teaching (CRT) into their classrooms. Students of all backgrounds need inclusive practices to be successful. It is important to all students that they feel supported and seen in the classroom, without these practices schools start to see a decline in graduation rates and an increase in dropout rates. Many …

A Qualitative Research Study Exploring The Lived Experiences Of K-12 School Teachers Who Serve African American Students Who Speak African American Vernacular English, Kayla K. Davies

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the proposed transcendental phenomenological study will be to explore the perceptions and lived experiences of k-12 schoolteachers working with African American students and their usage of AAVE in the State of Maryland. The theories guiding this study are critical race theory and Krashen’s second language acquisition theory. This qualitative transcendental phenomenological study will collect data from 12 participants in the state of Maryland using individual interviews, focus groups, and letters. The data will then be analyzed using Braun and Clarke's qualitative descriptive research data analysis plan. The data showed that k-12 schoolteachers mainly perceived AAVE as a …

#Blackatcmo: Challenging Charter Schools Through Youth Instagram Counterstories, Madhu Narayanan, Matthew S. Mccluskey

College of Education and Social Services Faculty Publications

As protests flared in 2020, BIPOC students took to Instagram to voice their experiences at “no-excuses” Charter Management Organizations (CMOs). Such schools have presented a discourse of high achievement and social justice. Yet, in the span of a few weeks, hundreds of posts on Instagram offered rarely-heard counter-narratives of the experience of being BIPOC at such schools. This paper analyzes how social media posts combine online discourse and youth culture to provide insight into the racialized experience of schooling. We argue this social movement challenges the legitimacy of CMOs and their authority to teach children of color.

Being A Trafficked Teacher: An Asiancrit Autoethnography Exploring The Exploitation Of Filipino Migrant Teachers In Louisiana, Christopher R. Jose

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this autoethnographic study is to critically explore the lived curriculum of Filipino migrant teachers trafficked by a Louisiana school district using the theoretical lens of AsianCrit. Using the different tenets of AsianCrit, this study wrestles with the injustices of this lived curriculum as connected to a broader set of hegemonic curricular experiences and demonstrates the ways such injustice still permeates the lived curriculum of migrant teachers. It explores its discussion on critical race theory in education, migrant teachers and human trafficking in the United States. This study shares the effects of human trafficking of teachers and the …

Hiring Criteria And Employability Of Esl/Efl Instructors In The Tesol Job Market In Canada And The United Arab Emirates, Shaden S. Attia

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study investigated the hiring criteria and employability of ESL/EFL instructors in Canada and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in higher education. It also explored challenges facing instructors and program administrators in today’s global TESOL job market, and how they both tackled these challenges. The study drew on intersectionality and Critical Race Theory and a qualitative methodological approach to answer the research questions. The research methods included an online questionnaire, analyses of online job advertisements and instructors’ journal reflections, and interviews with instructors and program administrators.

The findings indicate that educational qualifications, and teaching experience and certification constituted the primary …

Teachers-As-Designer In Culturally Revitalizing And Sustaining Indigenous Education, Joshua Colin Krause

Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies ETDs

Despite centuries of colonial attempts to assimilate and eradicate Indigenous ways of life and tongues through the institutions of schooling, communities, students, and teacher-designers are embracing culturally sustaining and revitalizing pedagogies to design curricula from community-driven outcomes backward. Sustaining and revitalizing curricula are place and people-specific and cannot be bought off the shelf, and research in original curriculum design points to the complexities that teacher-designers contend with as they seek community input and put pen to paper to design teaching and learning that is rooted in student identity, holistic wellness, and academic preparedness toward community ends. Research into expert teacher-designers' …

The Rise Of Critical Race Theory: Current Perspectives And Policies On Crt In Education, Nate Scholten

Journal of Multicultural Affairs

In this policy brief on Critical Race Theory (CRT), I operationalize the theory, trace its origins in legal scholarship, discuss its rise within the field of education, and highlight current policies that have responded to this rise. While many see CRT as a helpful lens to view seemingly unnoticeable manifestations of oppression and injustice, others view the use of the construct as divisive, unnecessary, and detrimental to teaching and learning. After detailing the discourses on either side of this debate, I conclude this brief by drawing on Kumashiro’s (2004) notion of teaching for discomfort and the approach of action civics …

Administrators' Perceptions Of Reducing Exclusionary Discipline In Black Girls In K - 12 Urban Schools: A Qualitative Study, Lorraine Reeves

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership Dissertations

Abstract

“The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.” —Ida B. Wells

The use of exclusionary discipline has an impact on all stakeholders in the educational system. This includes Black girls, teachers, administrators, and parents. The current study provides an in-depth view of the lived experiences of school administrators when implementing exclusionary discipline and their methods to mitigate the use of such discipline practices in urban K-12 schools. While research is available on the experiences of Black girls and Black boys with exclusionary discipline, there is scant literature on the experiences of the school …

An Overview On The Validation Of The Critical Race Theory Measurement, Erica Campbell

Journal of Research Initiatives

The Critical Race Theory Measurement (CRTM) was developed to evaluate the understanding of the six major principles of CRT and the significance of race relating to the preparation of practitioners providing services to people of color. The objective of this study was to evaluate the scale's psychometric properties. The CRTM self-assessment instrument measures the six Critical Race Theory principles. It consists of 19 items assessing endemic racism, the social construction of race, differential racialization, convergence/determinism, racial narratives, and intersectionality. The validation of the CRTM was based on its administration to 175 social work and counseling practitioners. This paper discusses the …

Where Race Has No Place: English Teachers’ Efforts To Maintain Space For Diversity In The Ela Classroom, Muzical D. Waite

Theses and Dissertations

The anti-critical race theory movement began in 2020, propelled by the fear of topics on race and racism overtaking lesson objectives, course content, and class discussion, and, in turn, making some students feel uncomfortable (Duhaney, 2022). Opposition to critical race theory (CRT) and any initiative considered adjacent to the concept, such as the promotion of diversity, equity, and inclusion, set in motion legislative proposals in nearly every state and enactment in many (Greene, 2022). Anti- CRT regulation of the content and activities teachers can use comes at a time when American student enrollment has never been more diverse (Carrillo, 2022). …

Disrupting White Hegemony: A Critical Shift Toward Empowering Black Male Youth Through Group Work, Caroline Lopez-Perry

Journal of School-Based Counseling Policy and Evaluation

Despite the unique and pressing needs of Black male students in schools, there has been a significant gap in the availability of culturally responsive group counseling models to support and empower this population. In this commentary article, I discuss the theory and research underlying the ASE group model for Black male middle school youth. Drawing on Steen et al. (2023) use of Critical Race Theory for reconceptualizing the ASE group model, I expound on the concept of white hegemony in school counseling. School counselors may unconsciously impose white cultural norms and values on students, hindering the effectiveness of the ASE …

Testimonios Of Latinas In The Federal Government Senior Executive Service: Honoring Women Who Excel In Public Service, Amarylis Lopez

Theses & Dissertations

The Senior Executive Service (SES) is the highest tier of executive management and leadership in the federal government. The Latino/a population has significantly increased in the past three decades with no corresponding increase in the federal workforce and the number of Latinos/as serving in the SES remains low. As Latinos/as in the SES are largely underrepresented, their ability to influence federal policies is significantly undermined. The purpose of this study is to explore the testimonios (testimonies) of Latinas in the SES to better understand their experiences while navigating entry into the SES and maintaining their respective positions.

This study used …

Through Her Eyes: Learning And Teaching About Racism Through "To Kill A Mockingbird" And "The Bluest Eye", Sloane Larsen

English Honors Theses

This thesis argues that Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye and Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird both merit a place in te United States’ secondary education systems by using use them in the classroom to encourage students to recognize and challenge their biases, perspectives, and choices. One of the many complex questions this thesis addresses is the efficacy of teaching students about racism using such novels. Teaching these novels through Critical Race Theory could help create a new generation of students who are more likely to address and challenge their biases and privilege. At the same time, this approach requires …

Exploring The Lived Experience Of International Students Of Color At Predominately White Institutions., Soheli Farzana Jony

Culminating Experience Projects

International students are essential to US higher education, bringing cultural, global, and economic growth to US institutions each year. Despite previous research explaining this population's adjustment barriers due to cultural and linguistic differences, this project paper investigated the lived experience of international students of color (ISC) in relation to racism, microaggression, sexism, classism, and linguicism that they experience in U.S. higher education. Thus, to fully understand the lived experience of international students of color in predominantly white institutions, four major tenets of critical race theory: racism is normal and not aberrational, white supremacy, counter storytelling, and intersectionality, were applied to …

Counter Narratives: A Phenomenological Study Of Inner-City Catholic School Teachers, Staci Wadlington

Dissertations

Educational experiences of children can have positive or negative impacts on their future. This study used a method, counter-narratives, identified by Critical Race theorists to document the shared experiences of inner-city Catholic school educators during one of the most important time periods of education in our country, post Brown v Board of Education (1954). Using a qualitative and phenomenological approach, the researcher interviewed educators from an inner-city Catholic school to investigate their experiences during the post-restructuring phase, which essentially segregated a select group of schools from the larger archdiocese school system. These targeted schools were renamed, provided an alternate governing …

“Why You Always So Political?”: A Counterstory About Educational-Environmental Racism At A Predominantly White University, Martín Alberto Gonzalez

Taboo: The Journal of Culture and Education

Using critical race counterstorytelling, I tell a story about the experiences of Mexican/Mexican American/Xicanx (MMAX) undergraduate students at private, historically and predominantly white university in the Northeast. Drawing on in-depth interviews, participant observations, pláticas, document analyses, and literature on race and space and racism in higher education, I argue that the racially hostile campus environment experienced by MMAX students at their respective university manifests itself as a form of educational-environmental racism. Through narrated dialogue, Aurora (a composite character) and I delve into a critical conversation about how educational-environmental racism is experienced by MMAX students through a racialized landscape in the …

Stories From North Carolina Teachers Of Color: An Inquiry Of Racialized Experiences In The Workplace., Deborah Stephanie Harrisson

Theses and Dissertations

Growing educational research shows that teachers of color are finding themselves working in racially hostile schools through experiencing racism from their White colleagues in explicit and inexplicit ways. There is a need to further categorize how North Carolina teachers of color are experiencing racism in the workplace and identify how they are affected by it through experiential knowledge and analysis underpinned by critical race theory. Through action research, this study’s goals incorporated the implementation and evaluation of a collaborative book as a method of intervention on the effects of racial trauma. The collaborative book presents full counternarratives of teachers of …

Stories From North Carolina Teachers Of Color: An Inquiry Of Racialized Experiences In The Workplace., Deborah Stephanie Harrison

Theses and Dissertations

Growing educational research shows that teachers of color are finding themselves working in racially hostile schools through experiencing racism from their White colleagues in explicit and inexplicit ways. There is a need to further categorize how North Carolina teachers of color are experiencing racism in the workplace and identify how they are affected by it through experiential knowledge and analysis underpinned by critical race theory. Through action research, this study’s goals incorporated the implementation and evaluation of a collaborative book as a method of intervention on the effects of racial trauma. The collaborative book presents full counternarratives of teachers of …

The Path To Full Reparations: A Community-Driven Model Of Education Reparations For Black Youth In Los Angeles County, Phase I (Early Learners), Andrew S. Murphy

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

The unresolved long-term effects of slavery and past and ongoing systemic racism directed toward Black Americans can be seen in the devaluing and aggressively racist treatment of Black students in Los Angeles County schools. Through qualitative interviews with Black education community members in Los Angeles County, this study collected Black education community members’ perspectives on the need for a multiphase education reparations system for Black youth, beginning with early learners (ages 0 to 8), and what components such a system should include. Participants overwhelmingly supported an education reparations system due to the over-policing and criminalization of Black students and the …

A Middle-Class Mother's Journey On Navigating The Educational System: The Impact Of Critical Race Theory, Intersectionality, And Class In Schools, Amy A. Hunter

Dissertations

This is a qualitative autoethnographic study of a Black mother in the Midwest region as she navigates the educational system for her children. This is a research document that informs the reader of the impact of racism and the intersectional identity of race, gender, and motherhood. The importance of intersectionality is highlighted in this research, and so it is that the mother is middle-class to articulate that poverty, access to resources, or the educational attainment of the mother are not necessarily mitigating factors for the treatment she receives within the educational setting. Moreover, is serves as a guide for other …

Elementary School Educators’ Perceptions Of Discipline Policies And The Overrepresentation Of Discipline Outcomes In Urban Settings, William Casey Cooper

Ed.D. Dissertations

Since the formation of schools, schools have developed ways of understanding discipline and ensuring a safe and orderly environment. Governmental personnel began to influence local school policies beginning in 1989, with United States President Ronald Reagan’s War on Drugs campaign. This led to the creation and development of zero-tolerance policies. School districts implemented zero-tolerance policies, which helped lead to the overrepresentation of discipline outcomes (i.e., punishment) among certain demographics. Following the Critical Race Theory theoretical framework, I interviewed 12 participants to determine their perceptions of discipline policies and the overrepresentation of discipline outcomes in urban settings. My participants included elementary …

A Phenomenological Study: The Perceived Impact Of The Intersectional Barriers Created By Gender And Race On African American Female's Advancement To A K-12 Central Office Leadership Position, Mariyon Thompson

Dissertations

Purpose: This phenomenological study aimed to explore the perceived impact of the intersectional barriers created by gender and race on African American females' advancement to a K-12 central office leadership position. The second purpose of this study was to identify strategies African American females leverage to overcome barriers due to intersectionality while advancing to a K-12 central office leadership position.

Methodology: This qualitative research study employed a phenomenological approach to describe the lived experiences of eight African American women leaders employed in K-12 central office leadership positions in San Bernardino and Riverside counties. Data collection included an interview protocol of …

I Second That Emotion: A Phenomenological Study Of The Socioemotional Experiences Of Black And Latinx Students In Developmental Education, Toni Foster-Irizarry

Theses and Dissertations

Some community colleges lack the socioemotional support required to help underprepared students grow into autonomous, college-ready learners (Callahan, 2004; Capt et al., 2014). Black and Latinx students could benefit from the inclusion of positive, emotionally supportive programming that acknowledges their personhood, cultural capital acquisition, and potential educational trauma caused by years of negative school experiences and emotions. The current phenomenological study explored the emotion-based perceptions of eight Black and Latinx students’ experiences in developmental education classes at two urban community colleges. The central research question asked, “How do Black and Latinx community college students perceive and emotionally respond to developmental …

No More One And Done: The Impact Of A Six Week Professional Learning Book Study On Culturally Relevant Pedagogy On Teachers’ Attitudes And Practices, Emilia Lier

Theses and Dissertations

Culturally relevant pedagogy is a core value and mindset that involves using students’ background knowledge and cultures as tools to propel academic success. CRP entails a curriculum that honors and reflects all students and a variety of perspectives. Students are inspired to become social agents, thus recognizing sociopolitical forces and inequalities within the school system, community, and the world at large. Though researchers have illustrated the positive impact of culturally relevant pedagogy on student outcomes, this practice is not consistently practiced in urban classrooms. The purpose of this study was to explore whether long-term professional development and support influence educators’ …

Counterstories Of Sife Experiences: A Critical Analysis Of Students With Interrupted Or Inconsistent Formal Education, Erica Flores

Theses and Dissertations

Students with Interrupted or Inconsistent Formal Education (SIFE) are positioned in our society in such a way that many SIFE cannot advocate for themselves (Advocates for Children of New York, 2010; Linville, 2016), and they must rely on educators to speak on their behalf and address the inequities they face (Advocates for Children of New York, 2010; Linville, 2016; Olivares-Orellana, 2020). Teachers are working to navigate these challenges; however, local and state programs and policies have had a negative impact on the academic success of SIFE in the traditional high school setting (Hos, 2020; Olivares-Orellana, 2020). This study uses Critical …