Jessica S. Krim - Decolonizing the Classroom: Confronting White Supremacy in Teacher Education

Decolonizing the
Classroom

Decolonizing the
Classroom

Confronting White Supremacy in
Teacher Education

Jessica S. Krim and Jennifer M. Hernandez

LEXINGTON BOOKS

Lanham Boulder New York London

Published by Lexington Books

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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Krim, Jessica S., 1974- author. | Hernandez, Jennifer M., 1974- author.

Title: Decolonizing the classroom : confronting white supremacy in teacher education / Jessica S. Krim and Jennifer M. Hernandez.

Description: Lanham, Maryland : Lexington Books, 2021. | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2021018558 (print) | LCCN 2021018559 (ebook) | ISBN 9781793607669 (cloth) | ISBN 9781793607676 (epub)

Subjects: LCSH: Teachers, Training ofSocial aspectsUnited States. | Discrimination in educationUnited States. | Critical race theory.

Classification: LCC LB1715 .K65 2021 (print) | LCC LB1715 (ebook) | DDC 370.71/1dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021018558

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021018559

The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information SciencesPermanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992.

Contents

Figures

Projections of Racial Composition of Students in the Classroom (US Department of Education 2016)

Data Table Projecting Racial Composition of Students in Todays Classrooms (US Census Bureau 2018)

Hispanic Enrollment in Teacher Preparation Programs by State (US Department of Education 2015)

Location of Hispanic Serving Institutions (Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities [HACU] 20162017)

Black Enrollment in Teacher Preparation Programs by State Where Program is Located (US Department of Education 2015)

Map of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the United States (HBCU Library Alliance 2020)

Class Photo of Authors Grandmother, a Career Educator Who Taught in a Two-Room Schoolhouse in Pennsylvania from 1940 to 1960

Adapted from Bell, Goodman, and Ouelett, 2016

SJE and MCE Combination of Pedagogical Approach

Tables

Creating a Multicultural Environment Using Multicultural Methods and Materials: Statistical Analysis of the Creating a Multicultural Environment Using Multicultural Methods and Materials Subgroup, Cultural Diversity Awareness Inventory Instrument

General Cultural Awareness: Statistical Analysis of the General Cultural Awareness Subgroup, Cultural Diversity Awareness Inventory Instrument

The Culturally Diverse Family: Statistical Analysis of the Culturally Diverse Family Subgroup, Cultural Diversity Awareness Inventory Instrument

Cross-Cultural Communication: Statistical Analysis of the Cross-Cultural Communication Subgroup, Cultural Diversity Awareness Inventory Instrument

Assessment: Statistical Analysis of the Assessment Subgroup, Cultural Diversity Awareness Inventory Instrument

Introductory Statistics (Demographics and Achievement Scores on National Assessments)

According to the US Department of Educations 2016 report The state of Racial Diversity in the Educator Workforce, Diversity is inherently valuable. We are stronger as a nation when people of varied backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives work and learn together; diversity and inclusion breed innovation (1). This is good news, as data tell us that our country is on the precipice of a major racial demographic shift of becoming more diverse in a variety of demographic constructs. For example, by 2024, white students will be outnumbered by students of non-white races in the classroom ().

Projections of Racial Composition of Students in the Classroom (US Department of Education 2016).

This racial demographic shift in the classroom is reflective of the non-Hispanic white population in the United States shrinking overall; beginning in 2030, net international migration is expected to overtake natural increase as the driver of population growth in the United States because of population aging (Vespa, Armstrong and Medina 2018, 23). The white-non-Hispanic group will shrink due to falling birth rates and rising numbers of death over time, and the most recently established census group, two or more races is projected to be the fastest growing racial or ethnic group over the next several decades. By 2060, non-Hispanic whites will make up only 36.5 percent of the classroom population ().

Data Table Projecting Racial Composition of Students in Todays Classrooms (US Census Bureau 2018).

This national shift is being driven by overall increases in individuals who identify as Hispanic, Asian, or two or more races. In addition, there will be an increase in the number of foreign-born citizens, the likes of which we have not seen since 1890, as the natural increase of Americans will be surpassed by the net international migration (Vespa, Armstrong and Medina 2018, 4).

National demographics show us that the composition of the United States looks very different today than it did in the last quarter-century. There are increases in the numbers of multi-generational and shared households, cohabitation among unmarried parents, marriage between individuals from different racial groups, and instances of motherhood among unmarried women. Worldwide, there are increases in both emigration and refugee populations, and the number of births to Muslim women is projected to exceed births to Christian women by 2030-2035 (Cilluffo and Cohn 2017).

On the other hand, when we examine the demographics of K-12 teachers in public schools, we see that they are typically female, middle class, white, and monolingual (Howard 2006). In 1988, 87 percent of teachers in grades 112 were white, and in 2012, this figure dropped to 81 percent. Reported in July of 2016, US Department of Education Report: The State of Racial Diversity in the Educator Workforce Summary of Findings reported that the Elementary and Secondary teachers are homogeneously white reporting at 80 percent of the in-service teacher demographic. Principals are also overwhelmingly of the white race, at 80 percent in 2012 (US Department of Education 2016). Although the racial diversity among teachers and principals is decreasing, this is happening at an insufficient pace to match the increasing diversity of K-12 students; while our students are becoming more diverse at a rate of 8 percent, are teachers are only becoming more diverse at a rate of 4 percent, and principals at a rate of 3 percent.

In later chapters we will provide a detailed discussion about the price that our students, families, and communities pay for being part of a system that caters to the white race. For introductory purposes, however, we would like to preface this discussion with anotherthat of the impact that is experienced by K-12 children of color in the areas of achievement test scores, out-of-school suspensions, and dropout rates. In 2017, Black students in grade 4 scored, on average, 26 points lower than their white peers on reading achievement tests. Hispanic students scored an average of 23 points lower than white students. In grade 8, Black students scored an average of 19 points lower, while Hispanic students scored an average of 25 points lower than their white peers. In 2017, math achievement test scores demonstrated more damning results; Black students scored an average of 25 points lower than their white peers in 4th grade, 32 points lower than their white peers in 8th grade, and Hispanic students scored an average of 19 points lower in the 4th grade and an average of 24 points lower in the 8th grade, when compared to their white peers. This data represents a widening of the achievement gap from elementary school to middle school.