From Neighborhood Schools to Juvy: Reflections of Alternative Learning Environments From Former Gang Members

• In Event: Carcerality and Education: A Qualitative Focus of Alternative Learning Environments and Racial/Ethnic Minoritized Students

Abstract

Objective: This paper aims to highlight the narratives of 12 former gang members who attended juvenile court schools, continuation schools, GED programs, and other alternative learning environments between middle to high school ages. Gang youth are often relegated to alternative learning environments to “chill out” students and promote dropout/pushout practices (Huerta, 2016; Vigil, 1999). Gang-involved youth have mixed experiences in alternative learning environments, where in some instances, they feel valued, and at other times, they are pushed to the social and academic margins (Huerta, 2022; Huerta & Hernandez, 2021). But there is much more to learn about former gang-involved youth's individual and collective experiences as they reflect on their schooling trajectories and how they used their agency to challenge mistreatment and disrespect. Framework: Drawing from a grounded theory approach, this paper helps to understand how former gang members navigated and resisted deficit efforts from educators, juvenile camp personnel, and criminal legal agents to overcome adversities to complete a secondary school level diploma or credential. Methods: Based on two-part in-depth interviews with 12 former gang members in 2020-2022. The participants were involved in gangs on average over ten years, and the average age is 38. The average interview length was 75 minutes. Findings: The findings highlight how alternative learning environments fostered feelings of 1) academic and emotional isolation, 2) hyper-surveillance and unjust punishment, and 3) educational frustration with inadequate academic curriculum. The significance of this paper is to shed light on how alternative learning environments can create feelings of hopelessness and inspire youth to want to reject education credentials. Scholarly significance: This paper helps nuances the educational experiences of former gang members who were previously enrolled in alternative learning environments and helped uncover how the culture of these schools contributes to increased punishment of students outside the cultural norms of schooling.

Author

• Adrian H. Huerta, University of Southern California