Time to Change the System

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Although going back to school in the new year may look different during the age of COVID-19, one aspect continues to persist: inequity and discrimination within our educational systems. Time and again we have seen historically marginalized groups treated unfairly by peers, teachers, and policies.

For instance, before the Los Angeles public schools shut down its campuses in mid-March, bullies in the San Fernando Valley accused a 16-year-old Asian boy of having the coronavirus simply because of his race. They beat him badly enough to send him to the emergency room. Additional evidence of discrimination in the schools include systematic bias in teacher expectations: Non-black teachers were found to have lower expectations of black students. Furthermore, data has shown that as early as preschool, Black children are 3.6 times more likely to receive out-of-school suspensions than White children, increasing to 4 times as likely in grades K-12.

These unfortunate outcomes highlight the importance of altering structures within our schools to mitigate the impact of discrimination. Altogether, there are three steps we can take to change the systems in our schools to enhance inclusivity:

1. Culturally Inclusive Curriculum. Creating a more inclusive curriculum is essential. A 2018 analysis of New York City’s public school system found that authors of both fiction novels and curriculum materials were overwhelmingly White, despite the school system’s diverse student population (e.g., 26 percent Black, 41 percent Hispanic, 16 percent Asian, and 15 percent White). Researchers report that students are more engaged in literature and history lessons, and more likely to have a positive perception of their ability to succeed in math and science, when they feel connected to content in which their identities are reflected.

When examining curriculum content, it is important to consider: Whose experience is central to the narrative being told? Whose experiences are missing from the narrative? How does culture or lack of culture impact the material being taught? What is needed to ensure that all student backgrounds are being considered? Reflecting on these questions can serve as a catalyst to ensure that students from all backgrounds feel included within the learning environment.

2. Bias Incident Report System. All members of our community should be able to study and work in an environment where they feel safe and respected. As a mechanism to promote an inclusive community, a bias incident report system can offer a resource for students to document their experiences of discrimination and racial microaggressions. This system will allow administrators to track and address concerns as they arise and better support members of the community who experience bias.

According to findings of a 2019 report, 79 percent of a university’s students simply did not know to whom they could report racist discriminatory acts. Ensuring that students are aware of this resource may be useful in providing documentation and evidence for diversity programming/funding.

3. Diversity Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention. Proactively seeking to recruit students, staff, and senior leaders of diverse backgrounds can bring new ideas and strengths to ultimately enhance policies in place. In a previous post, I wrote about the benefits of diverse teams. Studies show that when teachers reflect their student body, there are improved learning outcomes, higher expectations, and fewer disciplinary actions.

To attract a diverse hiring pool, it is important to train all staff members involved in the hiring process to recognize potential bias that may negatively impact recruitment. Also, outreach and advertising for new positions should be done in a way that attracts diverse community members. Specifically, collaborating with minority community organizations (e.g., The National Alliance of Black School Educators) may improve the likelihood that racial/ethnic underrepresented candidates are aware of position openings. Following recruitment, it is essential to find ways to develop, empower, and retain educators of color. Providing professional enrichment, mentoring, and fellowship activities may assist with these efforts.

Bottom Line

We have a long way to go to improve diversity, reduce discrimination, and enhance our school systems. We should start by changing the systems in place. Ultimately, by adapting the curriculum, collecting data on school climate, and enhancing diversity recruitment, hiring, and retention, we can work to improve learning environments and make our school systems more inclusive for all.

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Copyright 2020 Ryan C. Warner, Ph.D., CRC