Class backwards: linguistic racism and educational malpractice in American schooling

Abstract

Darder’s depiction of “Linguistic Racialization”, described herein, provides the foundation for this discussion, where raciolinguistic pedagogy has perpetuated a diverse and troubling legacy of educational malpractice against underrepresented language minority students who attend underresourced public schools throughout America. Due, in part, to paradoxical educational practices with differential access to unequal educational resources, the vast majority of linguistically disenfranchised students are often overlooked, or worse, subjected to misguided educational practices that fail to reduce academic disparities that are reinforced by poverty, unequal access to fair housing, and a lack of pedagogical dexterity that might have the potential to promote improved educational outcomes. Some policy proposals conclude this discussion, which, if implemented, could potentially overcome the history of unequal academic achievement that has resulted from a combination of De Jure and De Facto educational apartheid.