A Seat at the Table: Social Capital and the Racial Stratification of Parent Involvement

• In Event: 31.081 - Parents and Families

Abstract

African-American parent involvement at home and expectations for their children’s education are as high as any other racial/ethnic subgroup (Harris, 2011; Robinson & Harris, 2014). However, common orientations toward child-rearing between white and black families (Lareau, 2000) do not manifest into similar levels of school-based involvement (Kim, 2009). This paper investigates the role of parent collectives and school social capital as an alternative explanation for the discrepancy in black-white school-based parent involvement. Using a comparative case study design, I analyze data from six schools with and without black parent organizations, and parent organizations more generally. Results indicate that black parent involvement is higher in schools with active parent organizations that target and amplify the needs and interests of black families.

Author

• Brittany Chevon Murray, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill