A critical race theory analysis of the ‘demographic diversity’ gap in schools: college Students of Color speak their truth

An analysis of the underrepresentation of minoritized groups in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education

“…The findings from this research can be used by K-12 education, postsecondary education, and policymakers. SOC in this study described many negative experiences in their schooling, primarily from the ignorance of White teachers and counselors (Marrun et al, 2019). At the K-12 level, it is important to continue professional development with anti-racism practices to support teachers working with SOC (Pierce, 2016).…”

“…Existing research has analyzed the possible influences impacting SOC's pursuit of becoming educators. One factor includes the negative K-12 experiences previously reviewed for STEM students (Marrun et al, 2019). These overt and covert forms of racism, commonly between a White teacher and a SOC, can discourage a student from seeing teaching as an intriguing career.…”

Racing the Muslim: Strategies for Teaching Race and Ethnic Studies in the Education Curriculum

“…As we saw above, the student’s engagement with Rana’s (2011) book was also an engagement with “Muslim-looking” (Ahmad, 2004) racial formations in popular culture. Marrun et al (2019, pp. 852–853) state,“race matters and primary and secondary schools, school districts, teacher education programs, educators, teacher educators, and educational administrators and policy makers are woefully ill-equipped and unwilling to meaningfully confront, much less begin to effectively address, issues of race, racism, racial microaggressions, and the persistence and pervasiveness of White dominance in education.”…”

“…With regard to teachers of color in the classroom and the teaching of critical theories of race, there is a serious inadequacy impacting the field of Education: “half a percent (0.5%) are American Indian and Alaska Native, two percent (2%) are Asian American, seven percent (7%) are African American, and eight percent (8%) are Latinx.” (U.S. Department of Education, 2016; see also Marrun et al, 2019) If the majority of teachers K-20 are white, we need to critically interrogate the quantitative data. Thus, we must consider how “In the absence of a critical race-conscious perspective, quantitative analyses tend to remake and legitimate existing race inequities.” (Crawford et al, 2018, p. 126).…”

“…Marrun et al (2019, p. 841) explain, “The climate and culture of teacher preparation programs are racist, and continue to reproduce Students of Color’s racial isolation and marginalization.” The instruction in schools for teachers is to prepare them to teach Christian White students; it does nothing to engage with the needs, histories, and heterogeneity of the student body at the school, such as the Muslim Americans in our schools (Ahmad & Szpara, 2003; Haddad et al, 2009; Milner, 2007). Azusa Callaway (2010, p. 219) explains, “Muslim students felt that most of their teachers and classmates knew little about Islam and had misconceptions and negative stereotypes about Islam and its values, which affected Muslim students.” To further complicate matters, the solutions proposed by the research in education essentializes the experience of Muslim American students through the prism of religion.…”