White Adolescents’ Perceptions of Ethnic-Racial School Climate and Identity: Complexity in “Seeing the World Differently”

• In Event: Cross-Cultural Exploration of Schools as Sites for Adolescent Development

Abstract

In the pursuit of racial justice, White individuals must interrogate their own roles in perpetuating systemic racism. This is no less true during adolescence, when youth acquire the perspective-taking abilities necessary for the development of anti-racism. In this mixed methods study, we examined the ways that school ethnic-racial climate and ethnic-racial identity were salient for White students (n = 478), using a self-report survey and in-depth interviews with 14 students. Quantitative findings revealed that students’ perceptions of ethnic-racial climate were very positive, with limited evidence ethnic-racial identity exploration. Qualitative analytic themes addressed students’ difficulty in unpacking the meaning of White identity, despite their desire to “see the world differently.” Intentional strategies to support antiracism among White students will be discussed.

Authors

• Tina M. Durand, Boston University

• Anna Skubel, EdTrust