Integrating Race, Racism, and Critical Consciousness in Black Parents' Engagement With Schools

Abstract

Although decades of research document the positive benefits of parent involvement in schools, Black parents are not always welcomed in schooling spaces. Black parents have sometimes been perceived as uncaring about their children's education, and often racism has precluded their full inclusion and meaningful participation. This article uses critical race theory to understand the ways that racism influences Black parents' experiences in schools. We propose a novel form of parent involvement—critical parent engagement—which we define as parents' recognition of issues related to race and racism in schools that informs the actions they take to ensure their children's academic success. This new conceptualization of parent involvement relies on critical race theory and critical consciousness theory to provide a conceptual framework to understand how Black parents critically analyze issues that are present in the schools and how they subsequently engage in action. We conclude with suggestions for future research and practice.

“We Don't Exactly Fit In, but We Can't Opt Out”: Gay Fathers' Experiences Navigating Parent Communities in Schools

“…Parents are an important part of the school community (Beveridge, 2005), and parent–parent interactions have the potential to be sites of connection and information, and/or alienation and marginalization (Marchand et al, 2019; Sheldon, 2002). As our findings highlight, gay fathers were, overall, fairly involved in their children's schools—and high levels of engagement in school activities (e.g., membership on the PTA; being a room parent) often meant more interactions with other parents, which in turn have the potential to influence gay fathers' future school involvement (Li & Fischer, 2017) and social capital (Sheldon, 2002), and, by extension, children's academic and psychosocial outcomes (Goldberg & Smith, 2014; Jeynes, 2007).…”

“…Gendered expectations about mothers as being mainly responsible for children's schooling, and practical factors (e.g., fathers may work more hours), likely contribute to these dynamics (Descartes & Kottak, 2008; Reay, 2008). Finally, race‐ and class‐based disparities in access to resources (e.g., financial and social capital; work flexibility) help to explain why White middle class women in particular tend to take on leadership positions in school communities (e.g., head of the PTA; Marchand, Vassar, Diemer, & Rowley, 2019; McGrath & Kuriloff, 1999).…”

“…Certain types of parents may be especially vulnerable to feeling marginalized by school communities and parent communities specifically (Calarco, 2014). Parents with fewer financial (Yoder & Lopez, 2013) and educational (Nixon, 2011) resources, parents of color (Marchand et al, 2019; Quinones & Kiyama, 2014), and parents of children with disabilities (Stober & Franzese, 2018), for example, sometimes report feeling unwelcomed by other parents, which discourages their school engagement. Individuals who differ in other ways from larger parent communities (e.g., in family structure) may also experience marginalization (Goldberg, Black, Manley, & Frost, 2017a).…”

Why We Gather: Educational Empowerment and Academic Success Through Collective Black Parental Agency

“…It is important to consider the role that parents-Black parents, in particular-play in reform efforts (Martin, 2006). My use of CRT to explore parental involvement in education has precedent in the work of Marchand et al (2019).…”

Contextual factors shaping diverse political action: A commentary on the special issue on adolescent political development

“…Documented social injustices that Black Americans in the country have faced for 400 years may lead to feelings of distrust in systems within society. For instance, Black parents' experiences with racism in societal systems may introduce feelings of reticence to engage due to perceptions of or prior experiences with discrimination and alienation ( Marchand, Vassar, Diemer, & Rowley, 2019 ; Wilson-Cooper, 2009 ). Parents' engagement and willingness to engage with the political system may serve as a model for their children.…”