Navigating the Torrid Terrain of Public Education: Remaining Committed to Equality in a Post-Truth Era

• In Event: 31.073 - Recentering Evidence: Examining Black Educational Narratives to Challenge the Idea of a Post-Truth Era

Abstract

One does not have to look long or know much about public education to conclude public schools are not equal. The primary variables often used by novice and experts to determine the quality of a school are location, demographics, and socioeconomic make-up of the student body (Caldas, 1993; Reardon, Kalogrides, & Shores, Forthcoming; Rich, Cox, & Bloch, 2016). Undoubtedly, these variables shape the culture of a school but so too does the historical legacy of segregation, redlining, and economical injustices. The latter variables resulted in a manifestation of systemic inequities; whereas, the former variables are symptoms of those systemic injustices. In concert, these variables limit the educational options for marginalized students, black students particularly, because they have made it increasingly difficult to enroll in a school not affected by alternate truths. Public schools can often serve as a multimodal narrative of post-truth that negatively influence the democratic process. Therefore, we need to understand the various ways marginalized communities navigate public school systems and remain committed to democracy.
For over a century, black parents attempted to find equality for their children within the sociopolitical context of black students being viewed through a deficit lens. Shujaa (1993) explains for Black people, education and schooling are distinct enterprises, and schooling is often detrimental. Despite decades of research on effective schools and comprehensive school reform, traditional schooling settings continue to underserve and harm Black youth. Guided by Rational Choice Theory (RCT), the purpose of this study is to investigate how black parents navigate an educational system girded by historical and contemporary alternate truths. Specifically, we seek to answer the following questions:
1. What components of schooling are most salient when Black parents are choosing a school for their child(ren)?
2. What components of school are influential to Black parental satisfaction with their child(ren)’s schooling experience?
3. To what extent are Black parents satisfied with their current schooling choices and experiences?
The data presented here are part one of a sequential explanatory mixed-method research design. In phase one, quantitative data collection, we developed a survey instrument informed by literature from effective schools, comprehensive school reform, and multicultural education. Items were developed about school leadership, culture, instruction, curriculum, and organization. Items were reviewed by expert panels in each area.
Understanding Black parents are not a monolithic population, we took great care to distribute the instrument to a diverse group of Black parents in a Southeastern metropolitan city. To capture the beliefs of wealthy Black parents, we targeted social organizations, including Jack and Jill, Inc. and fraternal organizations. Likewise, to capture the beliefs of low income Black parents, we distributed the survey through the housing authority and Boys and Girls Clubs. Preliminary analyses show despite demographic differences, Black parents have similar desires in what they want in a school. Furthermore, what they want is largely unavailable or not characteristic of the schools their children currently attend.

Authors

• Brandi Nicole Hinnant-Crawford, Western Carolina University

• Vincent DeWayne Willis, University of Alabama