Can Anything Good Come From Nazareth? Race, Class, and African American Schooling and Community in the Urban South and Midwest

Abstract

The scholarly community has been neglectful in its study of those urban and predominantly African American schools that manifest agency in spite of persistent racial inequalities and poverty. Consequently, we are left to wonder whether anything good can come from urban African American schools, or from the communities where they are located. This article emanates from an investigation of two predominantly African American elementary schools in low-income communities—one in St. Louis, Missouri (1994–1997), and the other in Atlanta, Georgia (1999–2002)—both renowned for successfully educating their students. The author’s findings have implications for educational theory and practice and suggest the need for multifarious studies of urban and predominantly African American schools, families, and communities.

Critical Race Studies in Education: Examining a Decade of Research on U.S. Schools

“…This creates a school climate that fosters learning and a sense of community. Morris chronicles how students of color flourished in this supportive and loving context (Morris, 2004). Critical race studies in education scholars whose work focuses on the lives of marginalized students demonstrate how CRT can be used to give voice to students who would otherwise remain nameless and voiceless.…”

“…Grounded in Bell's (1987) notions about how schools must be culturally grounded and connected to the communities in which they exist, Morris (2004) conducted research on successful Black schools. Morris argues that a major part of what makes these two schools successful is a strong connection between the school and the family/community.…”

A second grade teacher's innovations toward multimodal literacies in an urban primary school

“…Teachers' attributes of taking the time to know and respect students and families are similar to those ascribed to caring teachers identified by Morris (2004). High achievement is indicated by state mandated criterion referenced tests, in which scores surpass state averages in Michigan.…”

“Doing the Best We Could”: African American Teachers’ Counterstory on School Desegregation

“…Inclusion of African American teachers' narratives can counter national narratives, but also expand understandings of their work in African American communities and schools (Beauboeuf-Lafontant, 1999;Dixson, 2003;Dingus, 2006). While national narratives remain silent on the complexities of African American teachers' personal narratives, ''the picture of it stays out there in the world'' (Morrison, 1987, p. 44; See also Morris, 2004) of African American counterstory.…”