Pathways to Equity: Addressing Educational Injustices and Simplifying School Choice for Black Parents

• In Event: After the Locusts: Just Education Renewal for Black Communities After Racial-Capitalist Predation and State Dissolution

Abstract

Due to systematic racism and epistemic violence caused by White supremacy, Black parents of Black children must engage in a strenuous reasoning process when using school choice to locate a suitable school for their children. The question this paper poses is what broader solution or set of policies would represent educational justice for Black families, in which no tradeoffs presented themselves as in the current choice environment? Kimberlé W. Crenshaw emphasizes the importance of understanding how "the law and legal institutions are inherently racist and that race itself, as well as how it is perceived, is a social construct" (Crenshaw, 1995). By applying CRT to education, policies can be developed that recognize and actively dismantle systemic racism within educational institutions and beyond, thereby ensuring that Black students receive just treatment without navigating a system with inherent biases.

Whether public or private, predominantly Black or White, the education system has been structured in ways that harm Black students. For Black parents, this trauma begins when they must decide where to send their child to school. “Which district will cause less wounds for my child?” Choosing any option can have long-lasting impacts on the psyche, identity, and educational achievement. How do we repair the system in a way that prevents harm from occurring and eliminates the need for constant remediation?

It is important to address and correct the inequities and systematic issues within education and all systems connected to it. According to Dr. Bettina Love, achieving educational justice requires a commitment to "abolitionist teaching," which seeks to "create and support educational freedom" and "tear down the oppressive structures that hinder the potential of Black and Brown children" (Love, 2019, p. 8). This approach involves active dismantling of systemic barriers and the implementation of policies that ensure equitable access to quality education for all students. Dr. Love emphasizes the need to "build a new educational system that is free from racism, sexism, ableism, and all other forms of oppression" (Love, 2019, p. 10). By embracing abolitionist teaching and adopting comprehensive policies that address the root causes of educational inequities, we can create an environment where Black families do not have to make tradeoffs.

It is time to focus on a sustainable commitment to change including building a culture of inclusion and providing ongoing evaluation that hold all stakeholders accountable. A focus on legal action for desegregation and legal support for families facing discrimination should be available in the short-term while focusing on abolitionist practices. Until we can diversify schools and neighborhoods, we must ensure that any educational system is safe and supportive for Black students.

Newly formed districts will remove systemic inequities and ensure equitable access to resources and opportunities from the start. They will provide mandatory anti-bias trainings, implement transparent accountability measures, form parent advocacy groups, and commit to community and family engagement. This approach calls for policies that address immediate gaps and reconstruct the education system to ensure that Black students, receive fair and supportive experiences without making harmful tradeoffs.

Author

• Damiana LaShea Sorrell, Wayne State University