The systemic academic pandemic: How do black families experience engagement after race and covid-19 collide in schools?
The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of Black families engaging with predominantly White public schools in Kansas. The intent was to understand how their family history and values impacted their engagement experiences before, during, and after the pandemic and to explore their desires for future engagement with their children’s schools. A traditional, qualitative study was used to explore the engagement of Black families in the educational journey of their students. Critical Race Theory provided a multifaceted viewpoint of the counter-narratives provided by Black parents and guardians in relation to school engagement. Application of the five tenets of CRT revealed permanence of racism to be the most prevalent influence on family engagement. Results also indicated that experience of racism and the remote learning did not deter or lessen the families’ determination to be actively involved in their children’s education. This study drew exclusively from Black women who served are parents and guardians of upper elementary students in the Midwest. Suggestions for improvement for family engagement were provided by participants. Implications for future practice and policy include creating a uniform definition for family engagement and inclusion of family engagement in teacher preparation programs. Implications for future research could include focus on fathers and additional input from secondary student’s families and other geographical locations in the United States.
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