School Racial Climate and School Engagement Among Black Youth: Is Private Regard a Moderator?

• In Event: Hilton Roundtable Session 2
  In Roundtable Session: African American Social and Political Engagement

Abstract

This investigation examines associations between school racial climate (racial fairness, teacher discrimination, peer discrimination), racial identity (private regard), and school engagement (behavioral, emotional, cognitive), including the moderating role of racial identity in a sample of one hundred fifty-one Black public high school students. Analyses revealed that students who perceived their school environment to be fairer and more equitable for Black students also reported higher school engagement across all dimensions. Interestingly, teacher discrimination was associated with emotional engagement whereas more discriminatory experiences from peers was associated with behavioral and cognitive engagement. In addition, two significant interactions were found: Private regard moderated the relationship between teacher discrimination and emotional engagement, and the relationship between peer discrimination and cognitive engagement.

Authors

• Charity Brown Griffin, Winston-Salem State University

• Rashunda L. Stitt Richardson, Winston-Salem State University