Texas Law Enforcement Clubs and Curriculum: A Critique of Power, Control and Racial Injustice (Poster 1)

• In Event: Friday Poster Session 4:55
  In Invited Poster Session: 2024 AERA Undergraduate Fellows Research Poster Fair

Abstract

Texas high school law enforcement club events have become a staple at University Interscholastic League (UIL)-sanctioned competitions. In one such tournament named, “Border Challenges,” high school students participating in law enforcement clubs are put through trials in which high school students conduct pseudo-active shooter drills, burglar situations, and arrests, and teams are scored based on effectiveness and speed of “eliminating the threat.” Over 900 high school law enforcement clubs and a state-approved curriculum track titled, “Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security Career Cluster” currently exist across Texas public high schools. This research project documents the prevalence of law enforcement courses and clubs in Texas high schools and analyzes the state-approved curricula that encourage careers in law enforcement and corrections. I critically analyze this Texas educational policy by applying theoretical concepts such as the creation of self-discipline, the dynamics of power, the role of punishment, racism, and discrimination in education. I utilize Foucault (1977) and Love (2019) to understand the ways in which power, discipline, and harm impact the experiences of Black and Brown youth in the educational system, particularly those participating in law enforcement clubs and corrections career tracks in high school. My data sources include documents from the Texas Education Agency (TEA), including the state’s standards and requirements for students enrolled in the law enforcement curriculum, public state data from the Texas Career and Technical Education (CTE) agency, and student-level data from schools that have Law Enforcement or Criminal Justice Clubs.

Author

• Maria Aleman, Trinity University