Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in School Psychology: Be the Change

Abstract

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Decolonizing school psychology research: A systematic literature review

“…Additionally, given the preponderance of journal editors who identify as white, topics connected to minoritized groups are not given enough space in psychological research (Roberts et al., 2020). While there are some journal editors that have acknowledged the need for this work, there is a continued need to push the field forward in this area (Jimerson et al., 2021). For the field to truly decolonize, there needs to be intentionality in the recruitment, support, and training of editors and associate editors from minoritized backgrounds.…”

From Beckham until now: Recruiting, retaining, and including Black people and Black thought in school psychology

“…While the burden should not be on Black people in the profession to develop an anti-racist research base for the field, there is evidence that scholars of color often research issues important to their racial group (Proctor et al, 2018). There is also evidence that Black scholars in school psychology have already began leading the way with research that can help the field in its journey to become anti-racist (Jimerson et al, 2021). To build out an anti-racist research base for school psychology there must be inclusion of diverse thoughts and voices in in the publication process (e.g., diversity among editors, editorial boards, reviewers, and authors).…”

“…Currently, much of the work the Black thinkers above are doing is being accessed to help the profession understand how to prevent and correct acts that have been harmful to the academic, social-emotional, and overall wellness of Black school-aged populations and Black people who enter the field of school psychology. Perhaps because of the national conversation that is happening around racial justice for Black people in the US, school psychology has engaged concerted efforts to identify the work of Black scholars, acknowledge their contributions to the field's current research base, and encourage more work focused on Black people by Black people (García-Vázquez et al, 2020; Jimerson et al, 2021; Williams et al, 2021).…”

“…Additionally, Black children and youth are victims of teachers’ explicit and implicit biases that result in unfair assessment of their work, lower expectations for their academic achievement (Chin et al, 2020), and perceptions of them as older than they are (i.e., adultification; see Epstein et al, 2017). Recently, school psychology has begun grappling with issues of racism, particularly related to the treatment of the Black students and families in PK-12 schools, and Black graduate students and professionals within the field (García-Vázquez et al, 2020; Jimerson et al, 2021; McKenney et al, 2020).…”

Dialogue with the deaf: The future role of psychology.

“…Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, psychology has not often been a leader in denouncing discriminatory ideas or defending the rights of underrepresented groups. Both the APA 8 and CPA 9 have now acknowledged the dark history of psychology in the context of EDI and all have policy statements affirming EDI principles (Bowman, 2000; Fletcher & Artiles, 2005; Fuentes et al, 2021; Gano-Overway, 2021; Hoffman & Mitchell, 2016; Jimerson et al, 2021; Onyeador et al, 2021; Pollock, 2021; Reel, 2021). Acknowledgement is the first step in the reconciliation process and this includes telling the truth, however, painful, shameful, and embarrassing.…”