In this article, the authors share a story that, in part, represented both of their experiences teaching in higher education. As African American educators in predominantly White universities, they both find themselves facing, dealing with, and overcoming racism. These experiences shape their curriculum. They see their personal and professional…

Knowledge of the working world and career locus of control are associated with career decision making. Racial minorities may experience an external locus of career control and greater career decision-making concerns resulting from limited exposure to mentors or other sources of career information. Access to information may be facilitated by…

For several years now, an achievement gap has been in existence between African American students and white students in mathematics. The purpose of this study is to (1) report on an in-depth case study of a former state mathematics consultant to describe his experiences of the mathematics education of African Americans in public high schools in…

Interviews were conducted with 9 European American psychologists, asking them to recall their first 12 counseling sessions with a current or recent successful case with an African American client. Using consensual qualitative research (CQR) methodology, the psychologists revealed that they generally attended to differences in race between…

This article discusses children's experiences with a literacy project intended to celebrate the cultures represented in a highly diverse fourth/fifth grade urban elementary classroom. However, when other children questioned the claimed identities of three biracial children, the project was transformed from a rather straightforward attempt to…

Many individuals face discrimination because of their skin color; however, skin color of African American young adults has not been studied in detail. This study examines relationships between skin color and perceptions among African American college women. The study yielded a positive correlation between personal values and self-rated skin color …

This study was designed to compare teachers certified in South Carolina that were trained in two different methods: through traditional college preparation programs and through the Program of Alternative Certification for Educators (PACE). This study explored three research questions. The first question addressed differences in pedagogical…

How do we bridge the mismatch between teachers and students based on race and ethnicity currently in our nation's schools? The teaching force remains overwhelmingly White, while the percentage of K-12 students of color continues to rise. Because of cultural dissonance, teachers may not understand the needs of their students. This study shows…

When the Supreme Court pronounces on race and education it makes headlines. On 28 June 2007 the Supreme Court revealed its long-anticipated decisions on "Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1 and "Meredith v. Jefferson County," proving that maneuvering the minefield of America's race relations is just as difficult…

In this article, the authors synthesize fifteen years of research about campus racial climates and present nine themes that emerged from a multi-institutional qualitative study they conducted. The primary goal is to illuminate trends that persist on many college and university campuses, especially those that are predominantly White. At the end of…

Background: Universities continue to undertake a range of initiatives to combat inequities and build diverse, inclusive campuses. Diversity action plans are a primary means by which U.S. postsecondary institutions articulate their professed commitment to an inclusive and equitable climate for all members of the university and advance strategies to…

Language education for students of color is a neutral process. The education of linguistically diverse students is situated in larger issues concerning white supremacy and the distribution of wealth and power. In this article, I argue that the English-only language policy contained within No Child Left Behind (NCLB) justifies a hierarchical racial…

Background/Context: Policy documents such as Title I of the No Child Left Behind Act [NCLB] (2001) direct schools and school systems to funnel resources to students based on their socioeconomic and linguistic status, as well as according to performance on standardized measures of achievement. Such conversations in the US about serving "at…

This article considers issues of educational inequality in the U.S. South from a social work/social justice perspective. After a review of existing literature and discussion of cultural versus structural explanations for race and socioeconomic status gaps in academic achievement, findings are presented from a study examining child-, classroom-,…

This report presents findings from a study of dropouts and students at risk in Chicago public schools. It is divided into five major chapters. Chapter 1 describes the study's grouping of Chicago high schools into four "types": selective academic; selective vocational; non-selective integrated; and non-selective segregated. A…