Title: Yes, This Room is Too White: Understanding Why Race Matters in the Charter Movement
1Yes, This Room is Too White Understanding Why
Race Matters in the Charter Movement
- john a. powell
- Director, Kirwan Institute for the
Study of Race and Ethnicity - Williams Chair in Civil Rights Civil
Liberties, Moritz College of Law - Presentation at the 2008 National Charter
Schools Conference - New Orleans, LA
- June 24, 2008
2Presentation Overview
- What is white privilege?
- Understanding structural racialization
- Why race matters in education
- Why student diversity is important
- Addressing teacher/staff/administrative diversity
and cultural competency - How to create diverse schools
- Schools should prepare students to be good
citizens - Clarifying the goals of the charter movement
3What is White Privilege?
4White Privilege and the Organization of Structures
- Without critical examination, the system can
appear to be just and fair, perhaps even neutral
towards race. - Often unbeknownst to them, whites inherit and
possess many benefits that are often
unacknowledged and/or taken for granted. - Interestingly, the norm of whiteness is strong
enough that the privilege of whiteness may not
even be perceived by people of color.
5Recognizing White Privilege
- In my class and place, I did not see myself as a
racist because I was taught to recognize racism
only in individual acts of meanness by members of
my group, never in invisible systems conferring
unsought racial dominance on my group from
birth. - Peggy McIntosh White Privilege Unpacking the
Invisible Knapsack
6Defining White Privilege
- White privilege refers to special advantages,
rights, or unearned benefits that whites enjoy
simply due to the color of their skin that other
groups do not receive - A white person does not need to be a racist to
benefit from white privilege - The recipient of white privilege may not even be
aware that s/he received it - These privileges are passively acquired
7A Few Manifestations of White Privilege
- Spatial and residential segregation
- The appearance, demeanor, and choices of a
non-white being considered representative of
his/her race - Minority students are less likely to be placed in
advanced or accelerated classes - Flesh color Band-Aids are typically light beige
in color, thus reflecting a norm of white skin
tones
8White Privilege and the Organization of Structures
- "The reality is in every aspect of life --
economic, social, political -- white people
benefit from the way the system is organized and
black people experience deficiency. - Paula Rothenberg, author of White Privilege
Essential Readings on the Other Side of Racism
9Understanding Structural Racialization
10Structural Racialization
- Institutional racism shifts our focus from the
motives of individual people to practices and
procedures within an institution. - Structural racialization shifts attention from
the single, intra-institutional setting to
inter-institutional arrangements and
interactions.
11The Importance of Institutional Arrangements
12Attribution of disparities
- Dominant public paradigms explaining disparities
bad apples - Defective culture
- Individual faults
- Personal racism
- Overlooks policies and arrangementsdiseased
tree - Structures
- Institutions
- Cumulative causation
13Structural Racialization
- It is often the interaction of institutions that
generates racialized outcomes - Racialized structures are likely to disserve all
in a democracy - Structural racialization analysis allows for a
view of the cumulative effects of institutional
arrangements - A systems approach
14Contrasting Perspectives
SOURCE Bonilla-Silva, Eduardo (1997)
15Cycle of Segregation
16Challenges for Public Education
- Economic segregation
- Achievement gap
- Discipline rates
- Funding disparities
- Graduation rates
- Racial segregation
17The Arrangement of Structures
- How we arrange structures matters
- The order of the structures
- The timing of the interaction between them
- The relationships that exist between them
- We must be aware of how structures are arranged
in order to fully understand social phenomena
18Structures, Charter Schools, Choice
- How structures are arranged affects charter
schools - Charter schools have the advantage of being more
flexible than traditional schools - Charter schools give parents a choice regarding
their childs/childrens education - Choice is often thought of a private, but it is
social in nature - Structural racialization can structure our choices
19Overall Student Racial/Ethnic Composition
Charter schools 1998-1999
- When comparing charter schools to public schools
- Charter schools enrolled approximately 11 fewer
white students (48 vs. 59) - Charter schools enrolled approximately 7 more
black students (24 vs. 17) - Charter schools enrolled approximately 3 more
Hispanic students (21 vs. 18)
http//www.ed.gov/pubs/charter4thyear/c.html
20http//www.hoover.org/publications/digest/4524956.
html
21Proportions of White and Minority Students
Evaluation of the Public Charter Schools
Program Final Report. U.S. Department of
Education. (2004) Page 23.
22Charter Schools vs. Traditional Public Schools
(1999-2000)
Evaluation of the Public Charter Schools
Program Final Report. U.S. Department of
Education. (2004) Page 24.
23Race/Ethnicity of Charter School Students
Evaluation of the Public Charter Schools
Program Final Report. U.S. Department of
Education. (2004) Appendix C-2.
24Visual Representation of Data From Previous Slide
Evaluation of the Public Charter Schools
Program Final Report. U.S. Department of
Education. (2004) Page xv.
25Reconsidering the Diversity Data
- While the numbers from the national-level data
seem to allude to the presence of diversity, it
is important to analyze the data on more
micro-levels as well. - In doing so, a slightly different story emerges
26School District-Level Data
- Has a student population that is 0-20 white -
- Charter schools 27
- The surrounding school district 10
- Has a student population that is 81-100 white -
- Charter schools 38
- The surrounding school district 37
- Nearly three times as many charter schools fall
in the 0-20 white category compared to their
home school districts.
Amy Stuart Wells, et al. Charter Schools and
Racial and Social Class Segregation Yet Another
Sorting Machine? (2000) study by Ascher et al.
27Why Race Matters in EducationWhy Student
Diversity is Important
28Understanding Race, Culture, Diversity
- Race and culture are not the same and should not
be considered such - We need to think about how we define diversity
- In terms of race? Culture? Both?
- In terms of the student population?
- In terms of the teachers?
29The Benefits of Racial Diversity in Education
- Helps students avoid or overcome stereotypes by
providing a range of experiences and viewpoints - Promotes cross-cultural understanding and helps
students develop interpersonal skills for a
multiracial world - Prepares students for a racially diverse
workplace - Trains and educates a diverse group of leaders
- Contributes to better decision making on issues
affecting our multicultural society - Fosters diversity among civic and business
leaders.
Source Preserving Diversity in Higher
Education A Manual on Admissions Policies and
Procedures After the University of Michigan
Decisions. Compiled by the firms of Bingham
McCutcheon, Morrison Foerster, and Heller
Ehrman White McAuliffe. Equal Justice Society,
2004.
30More Benefits of Diverse Educational Settings
- Children in diverse educational settings are
- more comfortable with people of other races as
adults - better able to function in our multi-racial and
multi-cultural world - potentially able to ease racial tensions as
adults and help work for a democracy that
embraces diversity - are important to the position of the United
States in an era of globalization and global
economies
31Opting for Diversity
- A Gallup poll in 1999 indicated that 59 of
respondents thought we should do more to
integrate schools. This number was only 37 in
1988. - In one poll of public school parents, results
indicated that 67 would select a good diverse
school over a outstanding homogenous school
(26).
Source Divided We Fail Coming Together through
Public School Choice (2002)
32True Integration
- True integration is creative and respects
inter-group relations based on mutuality,
equality and fairness - A truly integrated school must employ teaching
and techniques that address the multitude of
student learning styles and utilize materials
fashioned by and about people of diverse racial
and ethnic backgrounds - It is transformative rather than assimilative
- It both transforms and enriches the mainstream
- In contrast, desegregation, at best, attempts to
assimilate minorities into the mainstream
Source powell, john a. A new Theory of
Integrated Education True Integration in School
Resegregation Must the South Turn Back? Ed. John
Charles Boger and Gary Orfield.
33Why Race Matters in EducationWhy
Teacher/Staff/Administrative Diversity and
Cultural Competency Is Important
34The Role of Teachers, Administrators, Staff
- While research indicates that students thrive in
diverse educational settings, the classroom
experience is also affected by the instructor and
other staff members at the school. - The diversity of these individuals and their
cultural competency all play a role in shaping
students educational environments.
35Race/Ethnicity Charter School Teachers
Evaluation of the Public Charter Schools
Program Final Report. U.S. Department of
Education. (2004) page 26.
36Race/Ethnicity Teachers at Charter School vs.
Traditional Public Schools
Evaluation of the Public Charter Schools
Program Final Report. U.S. Department of
Education. (2004) page 27.
37Teacher Diversity Ohio Charter Schools
- In 2004, 56 of charter school students were
Black. The population of teachers in charter
schools was 26 Black. - In comparison, public schools had a black student
population of approximately 16. Only 6 of the
teachers were Black.
Study Ohio's charter schools show alarming
teacher turnover. The Ohio State University.
University Relations, Media Relations. 6-30-2005.
http//www.osu.edu/news/newsitem1182
38Teacher Diversity Michigan Charter Schools
Distribution of Charter Schools Teachers/Staff by
Ethnicity Michigan (1998) (N728)
Source Whats Public About Charter Schools? By
Gary Miron and Christopher Nelson (2002), pg. 100
39The Importance of Cultural Competency
- Beyond simply having a diverse school staff, it
is important that the teachers, administrators,
and other school officials are culturally
competent. - A lack of cultural competency (as well as a lack
of diversity) in teaching staff has been linked
to - Tracking students of color into lower ability
classes/ special ed. - Unequal rates of discipline/ suspension for
students of color (particularly black males) - What does it mean to be culturally competent?
40Components of Cultural Competency
- Awareness
- An individuals own sense of their emotional,
psychological, and behavioral responses to
diversity - Attitudes
- Our personal biases, moral positions, and
openness to differences - Knowledge
- The concepts, skill requirements, and ethics
associated with diversity training - Skills
- The ability to act in ways that are culturally
competent
Source Diversity Training University
International. http//www.dtui.com/bec_trainer.htm
l
41Characteristics of Culturally Competent Educators
and Schools
- Foster a climate of inclusion and respect
- Bridge academic material with students prior
understanding, knowledge, native language, and
values. - Consider culture a valued asset rather than a
detriment to overcome - Classroom activities are often hands-on
http//www.nwrel.org/request/2005june/annotatedbib
.pdf
42Manifestations of Cultural Differences
- Culturally competent educators need to be aware
of the ways in which cultural differences can be
manifested - Ways of knowing/acquiring information
- Ways of solving problems
- Non-verbal communication
- Learning styles
- Techniques for addressing conflict
- Use of symbols
43Structural Racialization Cultural Competency
- Structural racialization and cultural competency
converge - No institution is 100 neutral
- No cultural arrangement is neutral
- We tend not to think of whiteness as a culture,
but it is - Everyone is culturally situated
- Cultures transmit values and are reflected in
institutions
44Creating Diverse Schools
45Reflecting Upon Desired Outcomes
- What educational outcomes are charter schools
trying to achieve? For what are we preparing
students? - To graduate from high school?
- To enter the workforce?
- To attend college?
- To be good citizens?
- The future, including a future that encompasses a
variety of cultures? - To be culturally fluent in a global society?
- Are we using merit to measure what we say we
value?
46Reflecting Upon Desired Outcomes
- If merit is based on what we value, what does the
way we measure merit say about our values? - Do we value standardized test performance, or
democracy? - Is individual success more important than group?
Can both be achieved? - If we say we value diversity and democracy, then
why are courses in civics rarely taught?
47Aligning Schools to Reflect Our Values
- What constitutes a good student?
- Grades?
- Career success?
- The degree to which his/her future career is
financially or emotionally rewarding? - Whether he/she gives back to his/her school
and/or the greater community? - Schools need to be aligned to reflect our values
48Transitioning from Individualistic Merit
- The way merit is currently used is
individualistic. - This is problematic because cumulative
disadvantage is based upon group identity - race. - Limitations of individualistic merit
- Reinforces myth of the American dream (hard
work ? success) stigmatizes those who do not
succeed - Marginalized groups do not benefit from a few
members being given preference- need
interventions that lift up group collectively
49Introducing Democratic Merit
- Rather than awarding past achievements,
democratic merit invests in the democratic
potential of individuals - Confer rewards to those who will create a more
just, more democratic society - Multi-dimensional It involves the alignment of
the doing of democracy with the creation of
democratic citizens - Inclusive and diverse schools create bonds
between individuals and the larger community that
encourage democratic participation
50Democratic Merit Aligns with the Goals of
Education
- The U.S. Supreme Court has identified an
objective of public education to be the
inculcation of fundamental values necessary for
the maintenance of a democratic political
system. - Preparing students for citizenship has been a
stated goal of American education throughout
history. - Instill fundamental values and transmit knowledge
necessary to partake in our democracy - In 2002, the Supreme Court in Grutter
acknowledged the importance of preparing students
for citizenship
Bethel School Dist. No. 403 v. Fraser, 478 U.S.
675, 681 (1986) citing Ambach, 441 U.S. at 76-77
51Transformational vs. Transactional Solutions
- Transformative solutions begin with the
assumption that causation is multiple, mutual,
and cumulative - Transformational Institutions need to be
rearranged to support individual and collective
values of (mutuality, equity, and democracy) - vs. Transactional Institutions are arranged
appropriately individuals just need to negotiate
them better
52Creating Truly Diverse Schools
- Work toward transformative diversity
- The work of creating a diverse institution does
not end with a diverse student body - Harness the genuine benefits of diversity within
and across the school - Teachers, administrators and staff must share
diversity goals and be culturally competent - Teachers must have the skills and knowledge to
create a safe, supportive, and inclusive space - Curriculum should be challenging, engaging, and
culturally relevant
53What can the charter movement do?
- Seek clarity in terms of the charter movements
goals - Why charter schools?
- What are charter schools trying to achieve?
- What is driving them?
- Consider how charter schools are structured
- Align structures with our values
- Prepare students for a diverse world
- Both build on and rescue students from their
circumstances - Work to incentivize diversity
- Make diversity more than just an aspiration or
something to which we pay lip service
54More Recommendations/Reflections
- Create charter schools that are culturally
competent, economically and racially diverse, and
that are designed for excellence - Embrace the opportunity to move beyond the
neighborhood segregation patterns that plague
traditional schools and instead work toward true
integration - Remember that structures matter and reflect our
values
55Linked Fates Transformative Change
- Our fates are linked, yet our fates have been
socially constructed as disconnected (especially
through the categories of class, race, gender,
etc.) - We need socially constructed bridges to
transform our society - Conceive of an individual as connected toinstead
of isolated fromthy neighbor
56Questions or Comments? For More Information
Visit Us On-Linewww.KirwanInstitute.org
57Appendix
- Academic performance of charter school students
- Parental attitudes toward charter schools
58Academic Performance Charter Schools vs.
Traditional Public Schools
Evaluation of the Public Charter Schools
Program Final Report. U.S. Department of
Education. (2004) page 55.
59Parent Attitudes Toward Charter Schools
- According to the Baseline Evaluation of
Georgias Charter Schools Program Summary
Report (2005-2006) - 70 of parents graded their childs charter
school an A or A, and even parents who did not
grade the school highly believed the charter
school was the best available option for this
child - 85 of parents indicated they would re-enroll
their children in their charter school the
following year
http//www.doe.k12.ga.us/DMGetDocument.aspx/Georgi
a20Report20Final20040406.pdf?p39EF345AE192D900
F620BFDE9C014CE65F48E7E4CC653240EDEC0C35D54BF64F91
F688F11B84D995TypeD
60Parent Attitudes Toward Charter Schools
- According to a poll of 300 parents of New York
charter school students (June 2003) - Percentage of parents satisfied with
- Safety of schools 90
- Parent-teacher relationships 87
- Amount and quality of homework 86
- Class size 85
- Schools academic quality 84
- Discipline 81
- Communications from school personnel 81
www.manhattan-institute.org/html/cr_37.htm