Unlocking the STEM Pathways: Unveiling STEM Choices and Empowering Black LGBTQ+ Students

• In Event: Exploring Queer and Trans Student Secondary Experiences Using the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009

Abstract

Purpose
U.S. colleges and universities are graduating fewer Black students in STEM fields, as indicated by trends in education research (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2019; Gasman & Nguynen, 2019; McGee & Robinson, 2019; Palmer et. al, 2016).
Research shows that teachers play a crucial and influential role in shaping minoritized students’ educational trajectories in STEM education (Meyer, 2019). Yet, the lack of research on Black queer and trans (QT) students' experiences and outcomes in K-12 STEM fields hampers our understanding of this crucial domain (Miles et al., 2019; McGee & White, 2021). George Mwangi and colleagues (2016) and Miller & Downey (2020) emphasize the importance of advancing inquiry on within-group differences among Black STEM students to disrupt notions of a monolithic Black and/or queer STEM experience. To that end, this study examines the within-group factors that influence the interest of Black QT students in STEM fields, as well as their 9th grade math and science teachers. We ask the following research questions:

1. Are there differences in STEM major choice between Black queer and trans students in STEM education compared to Black non-queer and trans students?
2. Are there differences between perceptions of math and science teachers of QT Black students compared to those of non-QT Black students?

Theoretical Framework

We use Leyva’s (2021) framework of STEM education as a white cisheteropatriarchal space (WCHPS). The WCHPS framework examines the roles of white cisheteropatriarchy in STEM across various identity groups (e.g., heterosexual Black men, Latin* transfeminine people) and educational levels to provide insights into its impact on individuals. We supplement this theory with Yosso (2005) Community Culture Wealth to unearth the domains of agency and cultural riches of Black QT students in STEM education.

Methods and Results

We compared STEM interest and outcomes for Black QT students and Black non-QT students using the HSLS:09. Descriptive statistics for the sample are in Table 5. Independent samples t-test were used to examine the differences in STEM major choice and in math and science teachers’ perceptions of professional learning community, self-efficacy, expectations of self, perceptions of principal support, and collective responsibility.
Results (Table 2) highlight disparities in STEM major choices among Black students based on their identities. Black QT students reported lower likelihood of choosing a STEM major. Additionally, findings show the importance of science teachers for Black students, as science teachers of QT Black students reported higher levels of self-efficacy, expectations of self, and collective responsibility. Understanding these dynamics for schools is crucial for developing targeted strategies to promote diversity and inclusion in STEM education.


Scholarly Significance
Addressing this gap is essential considering the escalating polarization and public sentiments surrounding LGBTQ+ issues and topics within the K-12 education landscape (Sharrow, 2021; Fields & Wotipka, 2022). Through a critical quantitative approach, this study emphasizes the significance of studying QT Black students and non-QT Black students (Rios‐Aguilar, 2014). It recognizes and values the distinct worth and experiences that each group contributes to research on STEM education toward collective liberation.

Authors

• Arsene Frederic, Howard University

• Madison Fitzgerald-Russell, University of Iowa

• William Shelton, Graduate Center - CUNY

• Mario I Suárez, Utah State University