Transformational Racial Justice Education: The Impact of Racial Equity Training in Catholic Schools on the Equity Mindset of Practitioners

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session 5
  In Roundtable Session: Catholic Education: From Policy to Practice

Abstract

This paper presents an ethnographic study of the impact of the RISE: Racial Equity professional development program for Catholic Educators. The pandemics of COVID-19 and systemic racism significantly impacted Catholic schools. In many Catholic schools the impact combined the challenges systemic racism, declining enrollment, limited resources, and professional development. This study examines the impact of a racial justice professional development program for Catholic schools on the university facilitators and the educators they trained. Preliminary data reveals that the facilitators had significant shifts in practice and understanding of equity in their personal lives. Data also reveals that the impact on the Catholic educators was significant in changing equity mindsets and shifting culture and commitments to racial justice within Catholic schools.

Authors

• Donna Kiel, DePaul University

• Tina Curry, Chicago Public Schools

• Caitlin Meyer, DePaul University

• Stephanie Donna Bennett, DePaul University