Black Students Research Articles

Black-White Differences in The Effects of Parental Education on College Students' Beliefs about Racial Discrimination.

Racial discrimination remains a significant issue in the United States, particularly affecting Black individuals. Understanding how beliefs about the persistence of racial discrimination are shaped by race and parental education among college students is crucial for developing strategies to address these inequities. This study aims to examine the multiplicative effects of race and parental education on beliefs about the persistence of racial discrimination among Black and White college students. We hypothesize that Black students, particularly those with highly educated parents, will exhibit stronger beliefs in the persistence of racial discrimination as a significant issue compared to their White peers. Data were drawn from the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) study, which includes a national sample of Black and White young adults on college campuses across the United States. We conducted statistical analyses to explore the influence of race and parental education on students' beliefs about racial discrimination. Black students demonstrated stronger beliefs in the persistence of racial discrimination compared to White students. Additionally, students with higher parental education levels were more likely to recognize racial discrimination as a significant issue than those with lower parental education. The impact of parental education on these beliefs was more pronounced for Black students compared to White students. Black college students, especially those from higher SES backgrounds, exhibit a heightened awareness of racial discrimination due to their lived experiences and educational exposure. High SES Black individuals often face increased visibility and prejudice in predominantly White environments, further reinforcing their beliefs about the persistence of discrimination. These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to support Black students in higher education and promote awareness of racial discrimination. Policy solutions should include comprehensive anti-discrimination policies, increased diversity and inclusion efforts, and educational curricula that address systemic racism and social justice. The cross-sectional nature of the data limits causality inference, and self-reported measures may be subject to bias. Despite these limitations, the study's large and diverse sample enhances the generalizability of the findings. Race and parental education have multiplicative effects on college students' beliefs about the persistence of racial discrimination. Black students, particularly those from high SES backgrounds, are more likely to perceive racial discrimination as a continuing problem. Addressing these disparities through targeted policies and interventions is essential for creating equitable and inclusive educational environments.

How State Takeovers of School Districts Affect Education Finance, 1990 to 2019

Abstract State takeovers of school districts—a form of political centralization that shifts decision-making power from locally elected leaders to the state—have increased over time, often with the purported goal of improving district financial condition. Takeover has affected millions of students since the first takeover in 1988 and has been more common in districts serving marginalized communities. We investigate whether 104 takeovers from 1990 to 2019 affect financial outcomes using event study methods. We find that takeovers increase annual school spending by roughly $2,000 per pupil after five years, leading to improvements in some aspects of financial condition (budgetary and long-run solvency), on average. New funds primarily come from state revenues and mostly cover districts' legacy costs (debt and employee benefits). These effects are larger when takeovers are motivated by academic and/or other, non-fiscal reasons. However, takeovers are experienced unequally, with Black students less likely to experience the takeover-induced increases to expenditures and improvements in fiscal condition. This suggests political centralization can promote fiscal health but with potentially concerning equity implications.

Addressing Anti-Black Racism in Social Work Education: A Policy Brief to Ensure Black Students Thrive in Social Work

Addressing Anti-Black Racism in Social Work Education: A Policy Brief to Ensure Black Students Thrive in Social Work

Mindful discipline: A pilot study exploring mindfulness and the reduction of punitive discipline for Black male students.

Racial disparities in school discipline are well known and widely studied. Studies find, for instance, that Black students in secondary grades experience the highest rates of exclusionary punishment compared with their peers (Losen, 2018). Despite what is known about the prevalence and causes of disparities, such as educator bias in discipline decisions, there is surprisingly little evidence about how to effectively shift these disparities in schools. This pilot study attempts to address this, exploring whether a brief mindfulness-based intervention for teachers may reduce the impacts of racial bias on their interpretations of behavior and subsequent recommendations for discipline after reviewing a vignette depicting a Black male adolescent. The effects of the mindfulness exercise on participants' interpretations and recommendations were examined through regression, and findings indicate a significant main effect of the treatment on both indicators. The preliminary findings of this exploratory study suggest that brief mindfulness training may help to reduce the impacts of racial bias on discipline decisions for Black students. Implications for both research and practice are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

School-based racial segregation, social support, and late-life cognitive function in the Study of Healthy Aging in African Americans (STAR).

School-based social support for Black students may mediate or modify the association between school segregation and late-life cognition. Study of Healthy Aging in African Americans participants (n=574) reported segregated school attendance and school-based social support. Associations of segregated schooling with domain-specific cognitive outcomes and effect modification or mediation by school-based social support were evaluated with linear mixed models. Segregated school attendance was associated with increased likelihood of school-based social support. Segregated (vs. desegregated in 6th grade) school attendance was associated with lower executive function (β =-0.18 [-0.34, -0.02]) and semantic memory z-scores (β =-0.31 [-0.48, -0.13]). Social support did not mediate these associations. Estimates for segregated school attendance were attenuated among those who felt supported, although there was limited evidence of statistically significant effect modification. Early-childhood school segregation was associated with poorer cognitive function. Sources of resilience within racialized educational experiences should be further evaluated to bridge inequities. School segregation is a form of structural racism that affected the educational experiences of Black youth with potentially lasting consequences for healthy brain aging. Black students who attended a segregated school experienced greater school-based social support, which may highlight a potential source of resilience and resistance against the effects of racism-related stressors on cognitive function. The estimated adverse association between attending a segregated school on cognition was larger for students without an adult at school who cared about them versus those with an adult at school who cared about them, but estimates were imprecise.

Enhancing outcomes: Culturally adapted social-emotional and behavioral interventions for rural black elementary learners at risk.

Educators are responsible for supporting positive school experiences for all students, including those with or at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). Students with or at risk for EBD experience multiple negative outcomes impacting their school years, and these negative outcomes extend past graduation. Social and emotional learning programs are being used by schools to build students' competency in areas designed to help them successfully manage the school environment and life in general. However, studies have not provided evidence that universal social-emotional learning (SEL) programs are effective for Black students. This study provides data on the efficacy of an intervention package comprised of the Strong Kids SEL Program and a Tier 2 culturally adapted check-in/check-out (CICO) with Black students in a rural district in an underserved community. Cultural adaptations presented for the SEL curriculum were based on developers' recommendations and teacher feedback from prior studies and incorporated focus groups. Behavior management support in the form of a culturally adapted CICO was provided to participants exhibiting externalizing behaviors disruptive to the learning process. Results indicated a functional relation between the intervention package culturally adapted (SEL + CICO) and a decrease in student rate of externalizing behavior and strong social validity across teachers and students. Hierarchical linear modeling showed a statistically significant decrease in externalizing behavior from baseline to intervention phases, with data suggesting the moderator of grade-level explained variability in the effectiveness of the intervention. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Secondhand tobacco smoke exposure in homes and vehicles in youth: disparities among racial, and sexual and gender minorities.

Secondhand smoke exposure (SHSe) among youth is a serious public health concern, leading to an increased risk of conditions such as asthma and respiratory infections. However, there is little research on SHSe among vulnerable populations, such as racial and sexual minorities. Understanding the factors associated with youth SHSe in homes and vehicles is crucial to developing better protective policies. This study utilized 2020 data from the National Youth Tobacco Survey, a representative sample of middle- and high-school students in the US. The primary outcomes were youth SHSe at home and while riding in a vehicle. Multinomial regression models were used to assess factors associated with SHSe. The data included 9,912 students enrolled in grades 6 through 12 in the United States who reported never using any form of tobacco. Non-Hispanic Black students living with someone who does not use any form of tobacco products were significantly more likely to experience moderate [OR = 2.1 (1.1-3.9), p = 0.03] and severe [OR = 5.1 (2.2-11.7), p < 0.001] secondhand smoke exposure (SHSe) in homes compared to their non-Hispanic White counterparts. Heterosexual female students had lower odds of reporting moderate SHSe in the home compared to heterosexual males [OR = 0.7 (0.6-0.99), p = 0.02], whereas bisexual females had two-fold increased odds of severe SHSe in homes [OR = 2.0 (1.2-3.4), p = 0.01]. Significant efforts are needed to develop targeted interventions to reduce SHSe in homes and vehicles, particularly in these vulnerable populations.

Black Students in Imperial Britain: The African Institute, Colwyn Bay, 1889–1911, by Robert Burroughs

<i>Black Students in Imperial Britain: The African Institute, Colwyn Bay, 1889–1911</i>, by Robert Burroughs

Supplemental Material for Mindful Discipline: A Pilot Study Exploring Mindfulness and the Reduction of Punitive Discipline for Black Male Students

Supplemental Material for Mindful Discipline: A Pilot Study Exploring Mindfulness and the Reduction of Punitive Discipline for Black Male Students

Barriers to Black Medical Students and Residents Pursuing and Completing Surgical Residency in Canada: A Qualitative Analysis.

The limited available data suggest that the Canadian surgical workforce does not reflect the racial diversity of the patient population it serves, despite the well-established benefits of patient-provider race concordance. There have been no studies to date that characterize the systemic and individual challenges faced by Black medical students in matching to and successfully finishing training in a surgical specialty within a Canadian context that can explain this underrepresentation. Using critical qualitative inquiry and purposive sampling to ensure sex, geographical, and student or trainee year heterogeneity, we recruited self-identifying Black medical students and surgical residents across Canada. Online in-depth semistructured interviews were conducted and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were analyzed through an inductive reflexive narrative thematic process by 4 analysts. Twenty-seven participants including 18 medical students and 9 residents, were interviewed. The results showed 3 major themes that characterized their experiences: journey to and through medicine, perceptions of the surgical culture, and recommendations to improve the student experience. Medical students identified lack of mentorship and representation as well as experiences with racism as the main barriers to pursuing surgical training. Surgical trainees cited systemic racism, lack of representation, and insufficient safe spaces as the key deterrents to program completion. The intersection with sex exponentially increased these identified barriers. Except for a few surgical programs, medical schools across Canada do not offer a safe space for Black students and trainees to access and complete surgical training. An urgent change is needed to provide diverse mentorship that is transparent, acknowledges the real challenges related to systemic racism and biases, and is inclusive of different racial and ethnic backgrounds.

Critical Engaged Pedagogy to Confront Racism and Colonialism in (Geo) Science Education Through a Historical Lens

The geosciences continue to grapple with the exclusion of Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and other students of Color. These patterns can be understood in the discipline’s roots in colonialism and extractivism. Furthermore, training of the scientific process as objective and race-neutral results in scientists who do not recognize how science can perpetuate inequities in society. Using a U.S. university biogeography course as a case study, we describe an innovative framework for teaching equity through a critical historical lens that interrogates: 1) biases in the processes and forms of knowledge production, legitimization, and exclusion; 2) the source of inequities in representation in the discipline; and 3) how societal benefits and harms of scientific practices are felt disproportionately demographically and geographically. Students were encouraged to critically analyze the historical context of scientific theories and their proponents and challenge assumptions about the representativeness of data supporting those theories into the present day. Engaging with these questions broadened students’ understanding of changing paradigms in the field and of links between colonialism and modern science. We provide recommendations for instructors seeking to use similar approaches to enhance student learning.

The effect of stand-your-ground laws on student achievement

ObjectivesTo examine how “stand-your-ground” (SYG) laws affect children’s academic performance. MethodsWe analyze 2008–2018 nationwide school district-level math and reading/language arts (RLA) test scores for 3rd-8th grade students combined with information on SYG laws by state and year. We implement two estimation approaches—two-way-fixed effects and group-time average treatment effects—and conduct analyses stratified by student race (Black, White) and area income level. ResultsWe find negative effects of SYG on math achievement among all students using both estimation approaches (−0.0377 standard deviation decline, p < 0.001 and −0.0493, p < 0.001). We find adverse effects of SYG on math among White students (−0.0315, p = 0.001 and −0.0312, p = 0.08) and among students in low-income districts (−0.0616, p < 0.001 and −0.0903, p < 0.001). The precision of estimates for the effect on math scores among Black students varies across approaches (−0.0666, p = 0.05, −0.0444, p = 0.48). We estimate negative effects of SYG on RLA achievement in only a subset of models. ConclusionsOur findings suggest SYG laws adversely affect math performance among 3rd-8th grade students. Policy implicationsThese findings underscore the importance of additional work to understand and quantify the relationship between the nation’s gun policies and children’s academic performance.

They feelin’ some type of way: antiblackness, speaking black flesh and the problem of interracial allyship

Competitive policy debate, an activity touted to train political leaders and civic participants, is mired in conflict over the rise of Black student participation. Diversity outreach efforts in the 1990s offered an opportunity to increase black participation significantly in the activity. These efforts at inclusion generated racial turbulence as Black students brought black theory, performance and culture to the fore as the grounding for their argumentative strategies. While the scholarship about Black activism in policy debate has focused on the reaction of the traditionalists attempting to protect the norms of competition, it is simultaneously salient to analyze white liberal and progressive responses to the disruption caused by Black debaters. Drawing on the themes of civility and mutual recognition, I encourage argument theorists to consider how the structure of anti-blackness offers a fundamental antagonism to interracial debate and deliberation. This article delves into a racialized conflict between two teams who were part of a broad-based coalition of debaters disrupting normative argumentative and performative practice in debate competitions, arguing that violating the norms of competition and standards of civility represents a necessary strategy for Black folks arguing about anti-black racism in the interracial context of competitive debate.

Mental Health and Black Male Graduate Students

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to understand how masculinity and race impact mental health among Black male graduate students. A qualitative study using in-depth interviews recruited Black male graduate students enrolled at a private university in the southern United States. Data were collected over zoom and recorded. Interviews were transcribed and the data were analyzed for similar themes. Twenty-nine Black male graduate students 23 to 51 were recruited. Participants reported the three main elements that impacted their mental health were (1) expectations, (2) pressure, and (3) being strong. These findings suggest that colleges need to develop programming to help Black men learn how to handle racial discrimination in positive ways. Additionally, findings also highlight the need for culturally relevant mental health services that let Black men know seeking help is ok and is what men do.

Tracey’s small stories in the figured world of regular track high school

This study investigates how Tracey, a Black 9th grade female student, constructed her academic identities and capacities for agency within the figured world of her regular track English class. Drawing on Holland and colleagues’ theory on identity and concept of figured worlds, the study uses Tracey’s small stories to demonstrate how she challenged the prevailing sociohistorical model of schooling through her multiple literacies. Through analysis of her stories, the study reveals how Tracey contested the ascribed role of a regular track student and asserted her own agency as a learner.

Implicit Biases and Racial Microaggressions: Examining the Impact on Black Social Work Students’ Well-Being

ABSTRACT This paper explores the concept of racial microaggressions, everyday slights and offensive behaviors experienced by people of color, particularly focusing on their manifestation within social work education programs. Black social work students, in particular, frequently encounter instances tied to stereotypes about their intellectual abilities, perpetuating historical prejudices and contributing to mental health challenges such as anxiety and impostor phenomenon (IP). The historical trauma endured by Black individuals adds a distinct layer to the struggles faced by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students in social work education. Despite the evident impact, there exists a significant gap in scholarship addressing these issues, emphasizing the urgent need for the social work profession to confront and comprehend how implicit biases and racial microaggressions impede the success of Black social work students. This theoretical exploration aims to spark vital dialogue on the manifestations of implicit biases and racial microaggressions, probing their link to feelings of IP and historical trauma. Central to this inquiry is the examination of the critical consciousness framework’s efficacy in social work education, uncovering its role in raising awareness among professionals regarding their inadvertent perpetuation of oppressive systems. By leveraging this framework, the paper seeks to unearth structures of oppression and privilege, promoting awareness of unintentional complicity in upholding these structures. Recommendations align with the critical consciousness framework, advocating for future dialogues and the implementation of effective microaggression scales to incorporate and analyze frequencies and the impact of racism in social work research.

We See You: A Co-Constructed Autoethnography of Black Women Educators Subverting Carcerality in Community with Black Students

This study examines the school experiences of Black students and the perceived impact that we (the researchers) as Black women educators have had on these experiences. We conducted a series of focus groups with thirty-four former and current students, all of whom identify as Black. Our questions centered around various aspects of the students’ high school experiences, specifically as they related to their reflections on their relationships with Black teachers compared to the school community at large. We found that overall, students reported having positive experiences with us as Black women and often felt humanized in our classes. These findings suggest that Black women educators like us, who use their pedagogy (influenced by their positionality) to subvert carceral and antiblack school policy and culture, employ what we have conceptualized as the Core Tenets of Spiritual Nourishment: (1) a sense of belonging, (2) visibility, (3) room to make mistakes, (4) representation, (5) support navigating the pressures of systemic racism and Black fatigue, (6) safe spaces to unpack traumas and (7) love perceived.

Suicide ideation and behavior disparities among high school students: Examining Asian and multiracial race/ethnicity groups

We examined racial and ethnic disparities of suicide ideation/behaviors of high school students using detailed race/ethnicity data including Asian and multiracial race/ethnicity groups. The 2017 and 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Surveys were used to assess suicide ideation/behavior disparities across traditionally studied non-Latinx Black, Latinx, and non-Latinx White and understudied (non-Latinx Asian, multiracial-Latinx, multiracial-non-Latinx) racial/ethnic groups while controlling for common risk factors. Non-Latinx Black, multiracial Latinx, and multiracial non-Latinx students have higher odds of suicide attempt and injurious suicide attempt compared to non-Latinx Whites. Asian and multiracial non-Latinx students have higher odds of reporting suicide ideation and making a suicide plan compared to non-Latinx Whites. Results suggest that suicide ideation and behavior patterns differed considerably across racial/ethnic groups, and elicited the importance of including other racial/ethnic groups when conducting racial disparities analysis.

Safe Spaces and Critical Places: Youth Programming and Community Support

In this article we explore the work of two after-school programs in Toronto, Ontario. Our Youth Success (OYS) is a community-based mentoring program dedicated to lowering the push-out rates of students of Spanish and/or Portuguese-speaking descent. In the Youth Speak Program (YSP), community activists use spoken word poetry and rapping as a vehicle for Black students to express their emotional lives. The data we present come from two separate studies which both used ethnographic approaches, focusing on observation and interviews with participants (Hammersley &amp; Atkinson, 2019). Using Critical Race Theory (CRT), we examine interview data on how the pedagogical relationships developed in these spaces promote the wellbeing of Latinx and Black youth beyond academic outcomes. We argue that these spaces provide insight into the transformative possibilities of critical pedagogies for the wellbeing and healing of communities who have long been marginalized from mainstream institutions.

Through their eyes: Understanding institutional factors that impact the transfer processes of Black engineering students

AbstractBackgroundThe potential for broadening participation in engineering among Black undergraduates via transfer pathways is considerable, given their large share of the community college population. By understanding the opportunities and challenges presented within the context of transfer, this potential can be realized.Purpose/hypothesisThe goal of this study is to explore ways in which Black students who transitioned from a community college to a 4‐year engineering program describe the institutional factors affecting their transfer processes.Design/methodDrawing from a 3‐year qualitative research study involving approximately 27 Black engineering transfer students at a large, predominantly White, institution, we present data derived through interviews and focus groups with these undergraduates.ResultsParticipants expressed that they benefited from supportive institutional agents who offered engineering transfer‐related resources. These included both faculty and advisors in their mostly Minority Serving Community Colleges (MSCCs) as well as advisors from the engineering college at the 4‐year institution. In addition, respondents described being part of a number of community college programs, including some for Black collegians, that offered resources for transfer. Nonetheless, some participants shared problems that emerged during the transfer process, including having to self‐navigate confusing transfer websites or self‐advocate to resolve erroneous admissions decisions.ConclusionsWe suggest a need to elevate MSCCs as learning environments that can produce future Black engineers. We also recommend a systems‐level approach that brings together community colleges and 4‐year institutions while also accounting for issues related to resources as well as power dynamics that students may encounter.