Smoke and mirrors: a thematically based polemic of whiteness and the myth of desegregation in US school reform

Abstract

ABSTRACTIn the USA, the dominant narrative surrounding the issue of racial and ethnic discrimination in American public education centres on the rhetoric of steady progress towards equality. While the nationalistic-based dominant discourse maintains that progress towards a desegregated, multicultural American school system steeped in equality and mutual respect continues, a more critical examination reveals that little, if any, true progress has actually been made. With the apparent resurgence of far-right leaning political administrations and figures dominating the global political landscape, there is an ever-pressing need to ensure that scholastically based counter narratives remain present in the global discourse. This paper will re-examine the rhetoric surrounding desegregation and educational equity in the context of three themes: (a) culture and class, (b) accountability, and (c) financial investment. It is argued that, the standard of whiteness has prevented little, if any actual progress to have been made. Suggestions for meaningful school reform are offered.