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Social Sciences
Special Issues
Racial Justice in Learning Contexts
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Racial Justice in Learning Contexts

A special issue of Social Sciences (ISSN 2076-0760). This special issue belongs to the section "Social Stratification and Inequality".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 October 2020) | Viewed by 35286

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Sheretta T. Butler-Barnes

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
Interests: black families; risk and resilience; racial justice in learning contexts; gender and education; religiosity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear colleague,

Sixty-five years since the Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka decision that ruled that racial segregation in public schools is unconstitutional, schools within the U.S. continue to be segregated by race and class. Despite the fact that racially and ethnically diverse teachers are beneficial for all students, teachers remain overwhelmingly White and female. The educational disparities that exist in schools, whether charter or public, continue to persist today. These disparities include unfair school discipline practices and policies, unfair discriminatory dress and hair policies, unequal access to resources, and school curricula that exclude the contributions of people of color. Whether in public or private school settings, urban, suburban, or rural communities, students of color report higher experiences of unfair treatment in school due to racism, which impacts educational trajectories.

The aim of this Special Issue is to bring together original research (empirical and theoretical) that will underscore the importance of utilizing transdisciplinary perspectives in dismantling racism and promoting racial justice in classrooms. Quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods studies are welcome. Areas that papers might emphasize include but are not limited to:

  • Manuscripts that use a racial justice and intersectional lens to understand the lived experiences of children and youth (e.g., race, ethnicity, gender, social class, disability, and sexual orientation) in classrooms and the impact on educational trajectories;
  • Manuscripts that discuss or test theoretical frameworks that illuminate the association between racial injustice in school settings and trauma;
  • Manuscripts that discuss the impact of racism in school settings and identify promotive and protective factors for children and youth of color (PK-12) in various school settings (e.g., predominately white, predominately black, or racially and ethnically diverse), locale (e.g., urban, rural, and suburban), and region (e.g., south or north);
  • Manuscripts that identify and specify how anti-racist training and dismantling whiteness benefits teaching and learning.

Dr. Sheretta Butler-Barnes
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Social Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • racial justice
  • inequality
  • education
  • school
  • race
  • ethnicity
  • gender
  • social class
  • disability
  • sexual orientation
  • anti-racist

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 301 KiB  
Article
Impact of In-School Suspension on Black Girls’ Math Course-Taking in High School
by Habiba Ibrahim, David L. Barnes, Sheretta T. Butler-Barnes and Odis Johnson, Jr.
Soc. Sci. 2021, 10(7), 272; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/socsci10070272 - 15 Jul 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3317
Abstract
Black girls are more likely to receive in-school suspension (ISS) in comparison to their non-Black peers. However, research on the effect of in-school suspension on students’ academic achievement, specifically math achievement of Black girls, is still very limited. Mathematics is an important foundational [...] Read more.
Black girls are more likely to receive in-school suspension (ISS) in comparison to their non-Black peers. However, research on the effect of in-school suspension on students’ academic achievement, specifically math achievement of Black girls, is still very limited. Mathematics is an important foundational component of science, technology, and engineering fields, which are domains in which Black girls are underrepresented. Using the nationally representative Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS:2002), this study explores the relationship between in-school suspension and the highest math course completed in a multi-level analysis of 860 Black female participants from 320 high schools. Our findings revealed that in-school suspension was associated with lower mathematics course-taking. Implications for policy, practice, and research are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Racial Justice in Learning Contexts)
21 pages, 639 KiB  
Article
Got Skillz? Recasting and Negotiating Racial Tension in Teacher–Student Relationships Amidst Shifting Demographics
by Chonika Coleman-King, Valerie Adams-Bass, Keisha Bentley-Edwards, Duane Thomas, Celine Thompson, Ali Michael, Gwendolyn Miller, Bianka Charity-Parker and Howard Stevenson
Soc. Sci. 2021, 10(3), 99; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/socsci10030099 - 10 Mar 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 5448
Abstract
This paper reports on a curriculum designed for Black students whose school teachers and administrators sought to address concerns about students’ academic underachievement and behavioral challenges. In order to design the curriculum, we examined Black students’ reactions to race- and academic-related stress as [...] Read more.
This paper reports on a curriculum designed for Black students whose school teachers and administrators sought to address concerns about students’ academic underachievement and behavioral challenges. In order to design the curriculum, we examined Black students’ reactions to race- and academic-related stress as a result of their interactions with mostly White teachers and peers in an increasingly diversifying predominantly White, middle-class community. Grounded in principles of Racial Encounter Coping Appraisal and Socialization Theory (RECAST), a paradigm for understanding the racial coping strategies utilized by individuals to contend with racial stress and well-being, the study sought to elucidate racial tensions found in schooling relationships that foster racial disparities in classrooms. Specifically, our team conducted focus group sessions with Black parents and students which were guided by our use of the Cultural and Racial Experiences of Socialization Survey (CARES), a racial and ethnic socialization measure that elicits responses from students about the kinds of messages students receive about race and ethnicity from people parents and teachers. Data from the sessions subsequently informed the design of Let’s Talk? (LT), a racial conflict resolution curriculum for Black adolescents. In this paper, we share what we learned about students’ school experiences and coping mechanism through their participation in LT. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Racial Justice in Learning Contexts)
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29 pages, 434 KiB  
Article
A Qualitative Study of Black College Women’s Experiences of Misogynoir and Anti-Racism with High School Educators
by Seanna Leath, Noelle Ware, Miray D. Seward, Whitney N. McCoy, Paris Ball and Theresa A. Pfister
Soc. Sci. 2021, 10(1), 29; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/socsci10010029 - 19 Jan 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 10557
Abstract
A growing body of literature highlights how teachers and administrators influence Black girls’ academic and social experiences in school. Yet, less of this work explores how Black undergraduate women understand their earlier school experiences, particularly in relation to whether teachers advocated for their [...] Read more.
A growing body of literature highlights how teachers and administrators influence Black girls’ academic and social experiences in school. Yet, less of this work explores how Black undergraduate women understand their earlier school experiences, particularly in relation to whether teachers advocated for their educational success or participated in discriminatory practices that hindered their potential. Using consensual qualitative research (CQR) methods, the present semi-structured interview study explored the narratives of 50 Black undergraduate women (mean age = 20 years) who reflected on their experiences with teachers and school administrators during high school. Five discriminatory themes emerged, including body and tone policing, exceptionalism, tokenization, cultural erasure in the curriculum, and gatekeeping grades and opportunities. Three anti-racist themes emerged, including communicating high expectations and recognizing potential, challenging discrimination in the moment, and instilling racial and cultural pride. Our findings highlight the higher prevalence of discriminatory events compared to anti-racist teacher practices, as well as how the women’s high school experiences occurred at the intersection of race and gender. The Authors discuss the need to incorporate gender and sexism into discussions of anti-racist teacher practices to address Black girls’ experiences of misogynoir. We hope our findings contribute to educational initiatives that transform the learning landscape for Black girls by demonstrating how educators can eliminate pedagogical practices that harm their development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Racial Justice in Learning Contexts)
27 pages, 2002 KiB  
Article
“Traditions Are Not for Me”: Curriculum, Alternative Schools, and Formerly Incarcerated Young Black Men’s Academic Success
by Charles H. Lea III, Henry Joel Crumé and Demond Hill
Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(12), 233; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/socsci9120233 - 17 Dec 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5330
Abstract
Literature suggests that culturally promotive curricula can counter the effect of anti-Blackness in United States (U.S.) schools by cultivating Black students’ cultural, social, and academic development and fostering learning environments in which they feel respected, connected, and invested in their school communities. However, [...] Read more.
Literature suggests that culturally promotive curricula can counter the effect of anti-Blackness in United States (U.S.) schools by cultivating Black students’ cultural, social, and academic development and fostering learning environments in which they feel respected, connected, and invested in their school communities. However, Black students, especially young Black men, who return to school following a period of incarceration, face discrimination and numerous barriers to school reentry and engagement. While some enroll in alternative schools as a last option to earn a diploma, little is known about how curricula in these educational settings can facilitate positive school reentry experiences and outcomes among this population. As such, this intrinsic qualitative case study explored how one alternative school’s culturally promotive curriculum fosters and cultivates educational resilience among formerly incarcerated young Black men. Data collection included observations, interviews, and document reviews, and utilized a thematic analytic approach that included grounded theory techniques. Results indicate that teaching content that formerly incarcerated young Black men perceived as truthful and relevant to their lived experiences augmented their school engagement. The young men reported feeling empowered by the school’s curriculum structure and culture that allowed them to self-direct learning goals and course content toward themes that affirmed their cultural and social identities. The curriculum also appeared to facilitate positive relationships with the instructors, leading to the development of a positive school climate where the young men felt safe, appreciated, and supported. These findings highlight the important role space, place, and relationships can play in bolstering formerly incarcerated young Black men’s educational resilience through a culturally promotive curriculum in the context of an alternative school. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Racial Justice in Learning Contexts)
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20 pages, 789 KiB  
Article
Racial Discrimination Stress, School Belonging, and School Racial Composition on Academic Attitudes and Beliefs among Black Youth
by Kamryn S. Morris, Eleanor K. Seaton, Masumi Iida and Sarah Lindstrom Johnson
Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(11), 191; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/socsci9110191 - 28 Oct 2020
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 9277
Abstract
It is important to consider racialized experiences and proximal indicators of academic success for Black youth when understanding the achievement gap. Acknowledging that racial discrimination is detrimental for the academic success of Black youth, this study extended previous research by examining the influence [...] Read more.
It is important to consider racialized experiences and proximal indicators of academic success for Black youth when understanding the achievement gap. Acknowledging that racial discrimination is detrimental for the academic success of Black youth, this study extended previous research by examining the influence of racial discrimination stress. Using hierarchical regression analysis and a moderated moderation model, this study examined racial discrimination stress and school belonging as predictors of academic attitudes and beliefs among 344 Black youth (M age = 15.6). Additionally, we examined the interactive effects of school belonging as a buffer for racial discrimination stress, with particular focus on majority White schools. Analyses revealed that school belonging was linked with academic competence, academic efficacy, and academic skepticism. Furthermore, school belonging buffered the impact of racial discrimination stress on academic efficacy among Black youth in majority White schools. These findings highlight the co-occurrence of risk and protective factors among Black youth and demonstrate the additive influence of school racial composition on academic attitudes and beliefs. The practical and theoretical implications of these findings demonstrate the crucial role of school context in understanding risk and protective factors for the academic attitudes and beliefs of Black youth. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Racial Justice in Learning Contexts)
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