Examining School Websites’ Equity/Heritage-Focused Discursive Positioning and Educational Opportunities for Refugee Background Students (Poster 15)

• In Event: Thursday Poster Session 4:20 pm
  In Poster Session: Languages, Literacies, and Representations Poster Session

Abstract

Drawing on an equity/heritage framework that centers educational equity of minoritized communities, this study examined how Minnesota’s district and school websites with the highest enrollment of refugee background students (RBSs) described equity/heritage focused educational opportunities for RBSs and discursively represented and positioned these students. Our findings indicated that these websites largely lacked indications of equity/heritage based educational opportunities for RBSs. Also, while the websites had a strong visual representation of their RBSs, equity/heritage focused textual discourses were limited. Instead, discourses of neoliberalism, meritocracy, and accountability were prevalent. We argue that RBSs should be supported with equity/heritage focused educational opportunities and discourses at schools instead of solely global human capital focused discourses.

Authors

• Koeun Park, University of Hawai'i - West O'ahu

• Veronica E. Valdez, University of Utah