Portraits of black educators in predominantly white suburban high schools: the cost of pursuing equity for students of color
There are a litany of studies that examine Black K-12 educators and their positive influence on Black student achievement; however, few studies examine Black high school educators in predominantly White suburban schools. In response to the dearth of research on Black educators in predominantly White schools, this dissertation uses the qualitative methodology of Portraiture to focus on the experiences and reflections of five Black educators who direct or directed after-school programs for Black and Latina/o students in predominantly White suburban high schools located in the Midwest region of The United States of America. The dissertation paints detailed narratives of educators who began their careers in the 1980’s and 1990’s and explores their identities, pedagogy, experiences, reflections, and professional tensions to understand the larger social context in predominantly White suburban schools. This study examines their collective experiences and the ways that they navigate and negotiate predominantly White spaces as minorities, and the ways they help minority students navigate those same spaces in efforts to help students graduate and pursue post-high school successes—college, armed forces, and/or the work force. With a specific focus on Blacks in predominantly White suburban schools, this dissertation highlights the role of alienation experienced by Blacks in these spaces, as well as emphasizes the kinds of caring relationships, sociopolitical consciousness, and advocacy needed to support educators professionally, and students academically and socially. The shift from urban spaces pushes educators to consider how race continues to shape the experiences and opportunities of Blacks in predominantly White suburban schools. Furthermore, this dissertation adds to the limited discourse surrounding Black experiences and strategies for survival and resistance in suburban areas and offers these educators as overlooked leaders that serve as advocates for students of color. This research concluded that equity must be infused in every aspect of the educational process to help create a safe space for educators and students of color.
Black educators, Black teachers, Black counselors, Black principals, Black students, Latino students, students of color, portraiture, suburban schools, high school, after school programs, equity, educational cultural negotiator
University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign