“Black People, Finally, Thank God!” Black Boys’ Conceptualization of Teachers’ Decriminalizing Practices in K–3 Classrooms

• In Event: Dismantling Racial Injustice by Recruiting, Retaining, and Supporting Teachers of Color

Abstract

Despite evidence of early criminalization, educational research tends to overlook the impact of the school/prison nexus for Black boys in PK-3 settings, focusing instead on secondary education environments. This paper fills a gap in the literature by naming specific teacher decriminalizing practices that defy the criminalization of Black boys and instead empower them socially, emotionally, and academically. I suggest that Black boys are brilliant, invaluable resources in determining effective teacher practices for their own decriminalization. As part of a larger critical ethnographic study, this paper draws from observations and interviews with three Black boys in first-grade-- Mohammad, Justin, and Ibrahim. I present their suggestions for teacher practices to combat the school/prison nexus and improve their asocial, emotional, and academic wellbeing.

Author

• Maeve Wall, California State University - Northridge