Abstract
Majority-White schools in the United States have been found to produce better academic outcomes than schools with high concentrations of students of color. This paints the false image that majority-White schools are the optimal learning space when in fact Black students face many complex and subtle challenges within these school settings. Guided by critical race theory and system justification theory, this embedded case study aims to first capture the racial status quo of a majority-White high school, and subsequently explore the diverse ways Black students within that school experience the racial status quo. The results point to a cycle of racial inequity stemming from White normativity and racial unknowing. Although some students were highly critical of this, others found ways to rationalize injustices. Based on the results, suggestions are made for transforming the racial status quo of majority-White schools to ensure all students have equitable opportunities to succeed.
Majority-White schools in the United States have been found to produce better academic outcomes than schools with high concentrations of students of color. This paints the false image that majority-White schools are the optimal learning space when in fact Black students face many complex and subtle challenges within these school settings. Guided by critical race theory and system justification theory, this embedded case study aims to first capture the racial status quo of a majority-White high school, and subsequently explore the diverse ways Black students within that school experience the racial status quo. The results point to a cycle of racial inequity stemming from White normativity and racial unknowing. Although some students were highly critical of this, others found ways to rationalize injustices. Based on the results, suggestions are made for transforming the racial status quo of majority-White schools to ensure all students have equitable opportunities to succeed.
Keywords: Racial Inequity, Critical Race Theory, System Justification Theory, Color-Blind Ideology, Educational Opportunity, White Normativity, Meritocracy, Anti-Racism, Culturally Relevant Pedagogy
TopBackground
Research shows that students who attend majority-White schools typically perform better than those in schools with high concentrations of students of color (Bohrnstedt et al., 2015; Owens, 2020; Reardon et al., 2019). Based on this, one might falsely conclude that majority-White schools are inherently better, which reinforces the belief that White students are academically superior. In fact, racial segregation between schools is linked to rates of poverty, meaning students in schools with high concentrations of Black students also have more students from low socioeconomic backgrounds (Reardon, 2016; Reardon et al., 2019). This of course creates space for an opportunity gap through an unequal distribution of resources, such as books, qualified teachers, rigorous course offerings, and up-to-date technology (Bohrnstedt et al., 2015; Bonilla-Silva, 2018; Orfield & Jarvie, 2020). For instance, in 2017 60% of Black children attended high-poverty schools with a high percentage of students of color; consequently, Black students in those schools performed worse than students in low-poverty, majority-White schools (Garcia, 2020).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Racial Inequity: When opportunities to achieve are not fair between racial groups. Improving racial inequity requires taking into consideration the diversity of human needs, wants, backgrounds, values, etc.
Educational Opportunity: The freedom to access high-quality learning experiences and receive the proper support to achieve one’s goals.
Whiteness: A state of being that is viewed as normative and denotes rights to certain privileges in U.S. society.
Racism: The systematic devaluation and oppression of a certain racial group, alongside the systematic privileging of another.
Racial Inequality: When outcomes or opportunities between racial groups are not the same.
Anti-Racism: A process of actively working to transform the mechanisms that maintain and reproduce racial inequity.
Racial Status Quo: Normalized approaches to handling racial affairs based on commonly held beliefs and understandings of race and racism.