Completely Opposite: Student Defined Culturally Sustaining Ethnic Studies in Suburban Schools

• In Event: Writing New Imaginaries Through Critical Consciousness, Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies, and Self-Determination

Abstract

As suburban school systems become less segregated and serve more Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, and Pacific Islander students, ethnic studies programs are beginning to surface in these traditionally white dominated spaces. Given that research to date has largely focused on ethnic studies programs in urban schooling spaces that serve historically segregated Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Asian communities, not much is known about the growing number of ethnic studies programs in suburban spaces. Further, states like Washington are developing statewide ethnic studies implementation plans that will encourage all school systems, urban, suburban, and rural, to start offering ethnic studies courses. This paper begins to focus on what culturally sustaining ethnic studies means in suburban spaces.

Author

• Jeff Stone, University of Washington - Seattle