Black and Brown at Bruin High School

• In Event: 26.032 - Analyzing Enrollment, Outcomes, and Excellent Schools for Black and Latino Male Students in the Boston Public Schools

Abstract

Our study builds on the initial findings of the quantitative study, Opportunity and Equity: Enrollment and Outcomes of Black and Latino Males in Boston Public Schools. We conducted a case study of a 200-student district high school with charter like autonomies that was identified through statistical analysis as demonstrating success with Latino male students. Bruin HS aims to provide a rigorous academic program across all grades and curriculum areas and requires college acceptance of every student for graduation. 42% of students are Black, and 42% are Latino. Its Latino males are two-thirds Latino-White and 88% Latino North American. 78% qualify for free or reduced price lunch (slightly higher than the district average).

Our study focused on outlining the practices, conditions, and policies evident in Bruin HS that likely contributed to the success of Latino male students. The data sources included site visits, classroom observations, faculty, staff, and student interviews, and primary source documents (school documents and student work). Our method of analysis used several cycles of both top-down and bottom-up coding, extensive analytical memos, and recoding to arrive at our categories and themes of this study.

Our theoretical framework incorporated educational equity, ecological systems thinking, critical race theory, and critical pedagogy as an important lens for this study. This study was also informed by a review of the literature on effective schools and best practices for promoting Black and Brown male school success. Combined, these theoretical frameworks permitted us to examine what and if certain pedagogies resonated with Black and Latino males students paying particular attention to practices that directly or indirectly incorporated their identities as Black and Brown males.

Our study’s findings show that Bruin High has prioritized the following pedagogical practices:
1. Familiasmo – a strong identification with and attachment to immediate and extended family, including nonbiological kin like relationships (Castellanos & Gloria, 2007) as evidenced through its efforts to build a strong community that values reciprocity, and emphasizes care for all if its members;
2. Personalismo - the valuing and building of warm and respectful interpersonal relationships with others (Santiago-Rivera, 2002) as observed through students and teacher and peer relationships;
3. School support for Latino students’ school based identities that values academic achievement as an important aspect of personal identity, (Flores‐Gonzalez, 2005; (Sánchez, Colón, & Esparza, 2005);
4. Teachers’ strong commitment to critical pedagogical practices that empowered and transformed their students (Darder, 2012; Freire, 1970; Giroux, 1988; McLaren, 2014);
5. Recognition of the academic and social needs of the needs of Latino students;
6. Structural changes by school administrators that focus on increasing Black and Latino male school achievement through its professional development program that speaks directly to these themes.

The significance of this study is its contributions to the emerging field of study that rejects deficit-based notions of Latino masculine identity as it pertains to schooling experiences and academic and social outcomes. The authors invite educators and policy makers to consider these practices and policies when working on increasing opportunities for Latino students.

Authors

• Melissa Colón, Tufts University

• Jaime Del Razo, Brown University