McNair Research Journal - University of St. Thomas

Humanities & Social Sciences
Many students of African descent are categorized with the titles of
Attention Deficit Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
(ADD/ADHD), and/or other diagnoses related to emotional/behavior
disorders. The systematic labeling of minority students with learning
disabilities is well documented within the literature. However, little
research has focused on how systemic labeling as a form of institutional
racism affects the academic achievement of African American students.
Research has shown that several factors influence the quality of education
that African American students receive. For instance, some of the factors
include teachers’ perceptions of students’ capabilities, the adequacy of
educational facilities, and parental involvement and perceptions. Many de
facto segregated schools in low-income areas do not have adequate facilities,
programs and services comparable to integrated or predominantly
white/suburban schools (Haycock, 2001). Within this context, the
educator’s role and expectation of students becomes more critical to
students’ academic success. In the present paper, the factors influencing
African American students’ educational success are investigated. It is
hypothesized that the overrepresentation of African American students
with learning disabilities influences educators to stigmatize African
American students, regardless of potential, and lower their expectations of
students’ ability to achieve academic success.
The plight of African American students in the educational system is
complex. African American students, their parents, and educators
experience stigmatization. In Racial Differences in the Effects of Significant
Others on Students' Educational Expectations, Cheng and Starks (2002)
examine the impact of educational aspirations for students from
significant people in their lives. The study looks at how parents, teachers,
friends and close relatives view the educational success of their children.
Through comparison of the racial differences and cultural expectations of
the families, Cheng and Starks (2002) conclude that many Asian,
Hispanic and African American families have the same high expectations
and aspirations for their children. Thus, the study clearly demonstrates
that despite a family’s educational background, education is immensely
valued by each of the minority groups. However, educators have
contradictory expectations and perceptions of minority student
educational success.
Experiences among genders are significant in the article, Gender
Differences in the Educational Expectations of Urban, Low-Income African
American Youth: The Role of Parents and the School. Kaplan, McLoyd, and
Wood (2007) examined expectations of parents, teachers, and peers of
African American male and female students. From this study, it was
shown that parents, teachers, as well as both male and female students reported
having lower expectations for African American males. A rationale
is not provided explaining the lowered expectation for African American
males relative to their female counterparts. Overall, parents maintained
high expectations for their children, but the expectations were higher
for the female students than the male students. Parents had lower
expectations of academic achievement for their sons. Teachers remained
consistent in their lowered expectations for African American males even
when the students were equivalent on academic scale and personal
characteristics.
Many theorists are skeptical about identifying what may be the cause of
the lower expectations of African Americans, specifically males. However,
Jawanza Kunjufu and other scholars call this phenomenon, “Fourth Grade
Syndrome” (Kunjufu, 1995 and Kaplan, Mc Lloyd, & Wood, 2007).
Aquanette Early
Systematic Labeling
Systematic Labeling of African American Students:
The Influence of Teachers’ Perceptions on Students’ Expectations
Aquanette Early
University of St. Thomas/St. Catherine University - School of Social Work
According to Kunjufu, marginal students who are not identified early and
redirected in the area of academics can mentally and emotionally dropout
of school around fourth grade. The behavior of the students become
problematic for educators, learning disabilities manifest, and the youth
can consistently struggle academically. Students seem to struggle as a
result from the lack of personal connection with educators to identify
issues as they arise and foster.
Blaming the victim or the culture that the victim comes from is how
African American males were generalized with the labels associated with
their unwanted behavior. Harris-Murri, King, Rostenberg (2006) present
a strong argument for the need for culturally responsive approaches to
diagnosing students with emotional disturbances. The Response to
Intervention (RTI) was promoted as an alternative for the identification of
specific learning disabilities. Usually, two models of diagnosis are used to
determine disability categories. The two models are called problem solving
and standard protocol model. The two models determine the level of a
learning disability or what difficulty a student is exhibiting but do not
take into consideration personal experiences in the academic world. The
use of the RTI intervention suggests teachers and schools providing
general education must assume responsibility for the quality of education
administered. Teachers and staff must be cognizant of the broader
contextual factors that influence the lives and behaviors of students.
A positive school environment/climate can be seen as a significant influencing
element in the plight of African Americans in the educational
system. The school environment can directly correlate with the achievement
a student exhibits. Haycock (2001) analyzes the increase and
decrease in The Achievement Gap. The decrease of the achievement gap
spanned from 1970 to 1988 but suddenly increased in the years thereafter.
Haycock (2001) believes that with quantitative data, it is clear that it is
the educational system at fault for the increase of the achievement gap
between Caucasian and African American students.
It is identified that there is a lack of a demanding, exciting curriculum to
keep the students motivated and engaged. According to Haycock (2001),
students are not academically challenged, because academic standards are
low. She states that historically there has not been a standard until recently
of what has been customary to teach students at each grade level. She
poses four key areas in which educators can help students achieve success.
They are: (1) create mandatory standards, (2) provide students with a
challenging curriculum, (3) provide students with extra help, and
(4) teachers' roles and influence matter a lot.
Roscigno (1998) notes the legacy of segregation in the educational
systems on academic achievement. He also agrees with Haycock (2001)
on the educational faults but also on the contributions of outside life to
the achievement gap in his article Race and the Reproduction of
Educational Disadvantage. The article identifies historical background,
socioeconomic status of families, and the education of the parents as
influential in the collective outcome of a child in the educational system.
He emphasizes the strong association between race, teacher expectations,
family structure, peer influence, and the representation of class and race in
a school. In households with lowered child expectations, children can be
influenced by high expectations and a positive atmosphere in academia.
This can keep a child motivated through their educational experience.
Unfortunately, African American students have a more difficult time
receiving the positive atmosphere in school settings as well as the praise
needed to be motivated. Academia has to encourage and inspire students.
6 University of St. Thomas McNair Research Journal