From Theory to Practice: How Do DLI Schools Address Issues of Gentrification and Hegemonic Whiteness?

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session 5
  In Roundtable Session: Social Justice Praxis in K–12 Schooling Contexts

Abstract

Dual language immersion (DLI) programs have become popular in urban centers and are celebrated as diversity-affirming, but critical perspectives suggest they may exacerbate gentrification. In our study, we focus on Spanish DLI programs housed in areas of Washington D.C. associated with the displacement of racialized groups. Using critical policy and content analysis, we examine school mission and vision statements, policy handbooks, and local demographic data to show how DLI programs respond to calls for greater diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Results suggest that while all schools orient toward DEI in some ways, few actively address DEI issues, which do not help with the marginalization of racialized groups in schools nor on-going trends of gentrification in the local area.

Authors

• Vashti Lee, Michigan State University

• Malik Stevenson, Georgetown University