Lessons About Race and Place: Race Socialization and the Educational Engagement of Black Suburban Parents

• In Event: Critical Issues in Parent Involvement: Race, Ethnicity, and Social Class

Abstract

Few studies have examined the relationship between race socialization, place, and parents’ engagement in their children’s education, particularly in predominantly White suburban contexts. As such, this paper examines the educational engagement of a socioeconomically diverse group of Black parents in a Midwestern suburb, and the role that race socialization plays in their efforts. The findings contribute to our understanding of how Black suburban parents engage in their children’s education, illuminating a range of practices—including race socialization--that many not be recognized or valued in dominant, school-centric models of parent involvement. With its focus on the intersections of race, class, gender, and place, the research also highlights the heterogeneity of Black families and the importance of understanding local context.

Author

• Linn E. Posey-Maddox, University of Wisconsin - Madison