Advocate or Accomplice? School Counseling and Disproportionate Conduct Referrals of Young Black Boys

• In Event: The Dora Milaje of Black Children in Schools: Black Mother Educators in Pre-K–12 Contexts

Abstract

Black children have a dubious relationship with school counselors. Charged with the responsibility to assist and advocate for the wellbeing of all students, some school counselors align with schooling practices that may actually harm Black children. While the benefits associated with effective school counseling for Black children has been documented, persistent concerns about ineffective school counseling of Black children exists (Author). Of significant concern is the practice of referring Black children to their school counselor for behaviors normalized in White children. Initially, such harmful practices may contribute to a school culture that lends itself to the disproportionate punishment of Black children. Ultimately, school counselor negligence and unresolved bias may contribute to the pushout of Black children from their school settings.

The consequences of schooling difficulties do not impact children alone. Rather, the impact of trouble at school can influence many areas of a child’s life and wellbeing (Bryan & Henry, 2008). Family Systems Theory, a theoretical underpinning of many counseling and therapy modalities, suggests that changes in the functioning of one family member contributes to changes in the functioning of other family members (Kelly, Maynigo, Wesley, & Durham, 2013). While the severity of changes in functioning vary, the predictability that systemic change will occur in the family remains steady (Kerr, 2000). When conceptualized from a school counseling perspective, it becomes clear that the impact of children’s schooling experiences, positive or negative, measurably impacts other members of the family unit. As a former practicing counselor and therapist trained in Systems Theory, I have witnessed the systemic impact of schooling on families of diverse backgrounds, particularly Black families.

As a result of sociocultural values of collectivism, caretaking, and community, the Black family system is particularly vulnerable to the stress of children’s negative schooling experiences. These values transcend socioeconomic status or level of educational attainment. Rather, they are grounded in Africultural ways of being that have been upheld generationally (Utsey, Adams, and Bolden, 2000). Within my own family, shared values of collectivism, caretaking, and community were extremely meaningful as we navigated the stress associated with my son’s early schooling experiences.

In this paper, I present literature on school counseling for Black children, as well as discuss the impact of my own experience as a Black mother educator with expertise in school counseling and how I pushed back against harmful school counseling practices to protect my son’s brilliance and humanity. The paper concludes with a discussion on how my experiences continue to inform my praxis as a Counselor Educator.

Author

• Jasmine Graham, Indiana University - IUPUI