Addressing anti-Black racism in schools in 2020: Educator commitment, preparedness, and perceived barriers

• In Event: Poster Session 14
  In Poster Session: PS 14 Topic - Education, Schooling

Abstract

The 2020-2021 school year in the United States is an unprecedented one. Students, educators, and families face multiple pandemics: COVID-19 and a national reckoning with anti-Black racism. George Floyd’s murder on May 25, 2020 spurred widespread demonstrations, protests, and activism against anti-Black racism and police use of force against Black people. These events have prompted many educators to consider if and how to foster discussions about racism and anti-racism with their students.
The purpose of this work is to gauge if and how K-12 educators across the U.S. are approaching such issues with their students. This study involves a partnership between two universities and an educational technology company. Together, we developed a survey designed to assess educators’ comfort and preparedness for facilitating conversations about race, racism, and racial justice. The survey will be administered on October 11, 2020 to K-12 educators enrolled in the company’s programs. Based on previous survey participation, we anticipate having approximately 2500 K-12 educators across all 50 states and several U.S. territories complete the survey.
In addition to providing background information, educators will rate the importance, likelihood, and preparedness for discussing topics such as race, racism, the Black Lives Matter movement, police use of force against Black people, and white privilege with their students. Items also assess possible concerns they have (e.g., knowledge of subject, parental response) and perceived barriers they might face (e.g., administrative support, remote learning environments) when considering approaching these topics with their students. Additional items gauge educators’ perception as to how much the recent national attention has affected their approach to these topics. Finally, educators will respond to an open-ended prompt about how they would address news stories covering Black Lives Matter demonstrations.
The analysis of this work will largely be descriptive; that is, in general, how are K-12 educators teaching in the fall of 2020 thinking about issues related to racial justice? How does educator-rated importance of racism-related topics relate to their comfort, likelihood, and prioritization of addressing them with their students? Coding of the open-ended responses will provide descriptive categories of strategies that educators use with their students. In addition, we will test whether educator- and school-based characteristics predict ratings of importance, likelihood, and preparedness for discussing race-related topics (e.g., are non-Black educators less likely to address these topics? Are teachers within more diverse schools more likely to address these topics?)
Through this work, we will be poised to provide specific guidance about supporting schools and educators in their diversity, equity, and inclusions efforts. For instance, we know that children bear witness to and experience racism. If adults avoid direct conversations with children, they are ignoring enduring systems of stratification that privilege whiteness. Findings from this study will provide clues as to why educators may be hesitant to discuss anti-Black racism with their students, what resources or supports they identify as useful, and which educators are more comfortable with addressing these topics with their students.

Authors

• Lacey J. Hilliard, Suffolk University
  Presenting Author

• Kingsley Schroeder, Springfield College, Springfield, MA
  Non-Presenting Author

• Matthew K. Attaya, Suffolk University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Brian Burkhard, EVERFI
  Non-Presenting Author

• Bridget Parker, EVERFI
  Non-Presenting Author