Schools have undergone a multitude of reform in recent decades, most based on American educational accountability structures and policies. School improvement efforts have taken on a variety of forms. Despite the intensified pressure for improvement, there has not been an increase in our nation's student achievement. In fact, racial inequities in…

If the potential of higher education to foster transformative, emancipatory learning is to be realized, it is necessary to consider the historical forces and social formations by which postsecondary education is (re)shaped. White supremacy operates in and on educational contexts. The classroom, steeped in power dynamics and characterized by the…

This arts-based dissertation explores the stories and silences of the Winston branch of my family in order to consider how families reproduce ideologies, with the focus of this study being white supremacy and to lesser extents capitalism and patriarchy. In social studies education, is one way not only to learn about each of us, but to demystify…

The school-to-prison pipeline, or the relationship between school discipline and juvenile justice contact, has interested researchers and educational practitioners primary because of the negative impacts punishment can have on the life outcomes of students. Using a unique dataset of matched school and juvenile justice data, this dissertation…

The purpose of this study was to explore the decision-making processes of Black high school students, regarding their post-graduation plans (e.g. going to college, entering the workforce, etc.).While there is seemingly more attention, research, and money spent on college outreach, preparation, and promise programs (Perna, 2002), recent literature…

LGBTQ+ communities and spaces on college campuses are often known as white-centered spaces, implicitly or explicitly excluding students of color. While White LGBTQ+ students may experience marginalization and exclusion on the basis of their sexual orientations and/or gender identities, they may unwittingly perpetuate oppression on the basis of…

Purpose: The current literature has not provided insight into the effects of using racially derogatory words in the context of academic instruction or when reviewing historical texts. This study aims to examine the impact of such microaggressive language on cognitive performance among university students. Design/methodology/approach: Using…

Opt Out Florida, a largely White, middle-class social movement comprised of parents -- most often, mothers -- opposed to high-stakes standardised testing in U.S. public schools, has received media criticism for its homogeneity. This article elucidates that trend while simultaneously offering a more nuanced view, using theories of internalised…

While much research has examined the role of individual and systemic racial bias in driving racial discipline disparities, less work has considered the significance of curricular environments in school discipline patterns. In this paper, I report on an ethnographic study of three kindergarten classrooms. Adopting a critical sociocultural…

Antiracism and feminism are interrelated projects, and this research concerns the complex roles that White women play in their histories, development, advocacy, and fissures, specifically in the academy--a unique, contradictory place. This dissertation documents my co-inquiries with eight of my Sugarhill College colleagues--White women faculty…

Family and community engagement are proven strategies for strengthening schools. Across the United States, parents and community members have pressed school boards and district leadership for more transparency and broader participation in decisions about school turnaround. The purpose of this qualitative case study is to understand the…

The marginalization of "dis/abled" Black and students of Color is well-documented in the K-12 contexts (Annamma et al., 2013; Artiles, 2013; Artiles et al., 2002; Artiles, & Trent, 1994; Blanchett, 2006). Studies have found that not only do Black and students of Color experience overrepresentation in Special Education but that…

Teacher attrition and burnout have been researched in school districts all over the country for several decades. Characterised by physical and psychological exhaustion, cynicism (as an interpersonal and emotional indication of built-up aggression), and a sense of helplessness and low self-efficacy, burnout can lead to anxiety, depression,…

Historic and ongoing inequities in people's ability to access infrastructure--including differential access to services and supports that advance health outcomes and differential exposure to challenges that threaten well-being--reinforce disparate health and economic outcomes by race. Such inequities begin prenatally and accumulate over the course…

In this case, Mary, a cisgender White principal, is struggling in a contentious school climate with a mostly White staff and a racially divided school community. A lunchroom incident highlighted the unaddressed conflict among students, families, and the community that can no longer be ignored. Her unresponsive leadership raises questions about the…