Using FaithCrit to Understand the Conflation of Religionism and Racism in U.S. K-12 Education

• In Event: The Evolving Role of Religion in Education Research and Practice

Abstract

The lines of demarcation between race and religion are often indistinguishable. Yet, when racial or religious conflicts arise, they are rarely analyzed through a both/and lens. Using case study methodology this research investigates this phenomena in K-12 schools in the United States. FaithCrit, an emergent theoretical framework rooted in the religio-spirituality within critical race theory (CRT), aided in answering how racism and religionism are conflated in students’ educational experiences. Findings indicate that both racism and religionism are embedded in school leadership, policy and culture and are part of an institutional effort to preserve white supremacy, at the expense of immense emotional, psychological, and spiritual harm to the students and families that experience racial and religious discrimination.

Authors

• Qiana Lachaud, Georgia State University

• Larissa Malone, University of North Carolina - Wilmington