Supporting Black-White Biracial Students: Leadership Practices and Recognition in the K-12 School Environment
Open AccessThe purpose of this study is to explore the efforts of a K-12 MidAtlantic school district to support the identity development of Black-White biracial students. The methodology is a qualitative case study and the case unit is a K-12 MidAtlantic school district. Data collection in the form of semi-structured interviews, documentation, and archival information is used to gain a clear understanding of the steps the district takes to support the population of multiracial students. Purposeful sampling is utilized and study participants include district leaders from the central office, as well as staff and leaders from one middle school and one high school within the same zone in the district. A key finding from this study is the invisibility of Black-White biracial students in policies, practices, instructional resources, and professional learning in the district. Moreover, participants in this study acknowledge a general lack of awareness of the biracial student experience unless they are biracial or have biracial children in their immediate family. Staff regularly classify Black-White biracial students with a single race group and use them as a bridge between different racial groups in the school setting. Finally, participants express a lack of staff diversity, unclear priorities related to racial equity from district and school leadership, and social and political factors in the local community as elements that impact the experience of Black-White biracial students in the educational setting. The findings indicate the need for diverse school staff members reflective of the student population, clear plans for equity work from school and district leaders, and exploration as to why biracial students are invisible in policies and practices in districts. Additionally, the findings demonstrate a necessity for increased instructional texts and resources that mirror the experiences of multiracial people, a responsibility to understand implications of having adolescent Black-White biracial students bridge racial groups, and the inclusion of the needs of biracial students in professional learning.
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