Open Season: A Qualitative Examination of the Impact of Police Violence Against Black Citizens on K-12 Educators

Format Type

Plenary

Format Type

Paper

Start Date

12-1-2021 3:50 PM

End Date

12-1-2021 4:10 PM

Abstract

Their stories are regrettably familiar: the shooting of unarmed Michael Brown by a white Ferguson, Missouri police officer; the choking death of Eric Garner by a New York police officer stemming from the allegation of selling single cigarettes; and the shooting of 12-year old Tamir Rice, who was shot by a Cleveland, Ohio police officer for playing with a toy gun in a park. And as of recent, we are watching protests across the country following national attention on the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmad Arbury, and Breonna Taylor- all at the hands of police.

Undeniably, these incidents have allowed social media to firmly solidify its place in mainstream media. Within social media platforms, amidst the constant stream of photos and messages from around the world, powerful symbols are emerging of the current unrest within the United States. “Hands up, don’t shoot,” “Black lives matter,” and “I can’t breathe” have become the newest rallying calls around the long-standing issues of racial inequality, racial profiling and racial discrimination.

In light of these events, this author has conducted qualitative research in various K-12 schools in Ferguson, Missouri; Baltimore, Maryland; Cleveland, Ohio; and New York, New York to gain a better understanding of how educators address diversity-related social issues within middle school and high school classrooms. Though the unique lens of educators, this study provides a timely inquiry into dynamics of how these teachers navigate the difficult dialogue surrounding these tragic events and document the various roles they must assume as educators and social advocates within classrooms impacted by community violence.

Keywords

Diversity, Community Violence, Educators, K-12 Schools, Equity

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Jan 12th, 3:50 PM Jan 12th, 4:10 PM

Open Season: A Qualitative Examination of the Impact of Police Violence Against Black Citizens on K-12 Educators

Their stories are regrettably familiar: the shooting of unarmed Michael Brown by a white Ferguson, Missouri police officer; the choking death of Eric Garner by a New York police officer stemming from the allegation of selling single cigarettes; and the shooting of 12-year old Tamir Rice, who was shot by a Cleveland, Ohio police officer for playing with a toy gun in a park. And as of recent, we are watching protests across the country following national attention on the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmad Arbury, and Breonna Taylor- all at the hands of police.

Undeniably, these incidents have allowed social media to firmly solidify its place in mainstream media. Within social media platforms, amidst the constant stream of photos and messages from around the world, powerful symbols are emerging of the current unrest within the United States. “Hands up, don’t shoot,” “Black lives matter,” and “I can’t breathe” have become the newest rallying calls around the long-standing issues of racial inequality, racial profiling and racial discrimination.

In light of these events, this author has conducted qualitative research in various K-12 schools in Ferguson, Missouri; Baltimore, Maryland; Cleveland, Ohio; and New York, New York to gain a better understanding of how educators address diversity-related social issues within middle school and high school classrooms. Though the unique lens of educators, this study provides a timely inquiry into dynamics of how these teachers navigate the difficult dialogue surrounding these tragic events and document the various roles they must assume as educators and social advocates within classrooms impacted by community violence.