This reflective essay documents my experiences, critiques, and application of critical whiteness studies in my own research, though, as proven below, they cannot be understood without my forever commitment to strengthen, expand, and re-imagine the field. To be clear, I do not critique for critique's sake, rather, I present my approach for the sake…

Following a wave of racial justice activism during the summer of 2020, nearly 40 school districts passed resolutions ending the use of law enforcement in schools. In such districts, school superintendents then faced the challenge of implementing these "police-free schools' resolutions," while sometimes encountering strong resistance,…

Improv theater has expanded beyond a popular American form of entertainment into an educational experience for students and teachers. It may be difficult to imagine that an interactive, joyful, and collaborative improv workshop might be harmful, but our own experiences as professional improvisers led us to observe that even well-intentioned,…

Background/Context: Almost 100 years ago, John Dewey advocated for a democratic U.S. educational system, one that echoed the tenets of the U.S. Constitution and achieved an ethical ideal by inviting participation of all students. Yet the U.S. educational system continues to stop short of this goal insofar as students of Color--especially those in…

Social ontology examines the nature and mechanisms in human society of concepts that pertain to various kinds of social collectivities. A pioneer in the development of this philosophical field, Mills theorised a social metaphysics of "racial constructivism" for modern philosophy in order to explain the enduring orthodoxies of its…

Using Critical Whiteness Studies (CWS), two student affairs professionals share their personal narratives about their professional practice. Each reflect on how they challenge white supremacy both personally and professionally. We provide recommendations for using CWS as a framework to inform racial justice activism and support with white student…

This counternarrative study positions two distinct bodies of literature in conversation: mid-level district leadership in the literature on educational change and anti-racist approaches to leadership framed through Critical Race Theory and Critical Whiteness Studies. Interviews with twelve, mid-level district leaders committed to anti-racism in…

Suburban school districts have experienced a racial and ethnic shift within the past 10 years. School districts that once were predominantly White have pivoted to a more diverse demographic. While we have seen the shifting of student demographics the same has not manifested within school leadership. This critical qualitative study sought to…

Purpose: This study aims to share the development of new conceptual tools, which merge theories of critical whiteness studies (CWS), epistemic injustice and abolitionist teaching, applying them to the discourse of pre- and in-service teachers across the predominantly white institutions (PWIs) as they discuss antiracist teaching through the book…

This article presents the voices of multiracial collegians at a Historically White Institution who make intentional choices to engage and disengage with racial justice student organizations.

Prior research has explored the complex issue of how future teachers learn to engage in socially just and antiracist teaching practices. This research revealed reasons why pre-service teachers do not engage in racialized conversations, including not believing that it is appropriate to talk about race with young children, and exhibiting resistance…

This critical constructivist study was grounded in the belief that there is an urgent need to address attainment gaps between White students and students of color at community colleges, that equity-minded leadership is needed to address these gaps, and that the call for transformative leadership must be answered not solely by leaders with…

This study examined the impact of the racial justice movement that emerged in the United States after the murder of George Floyd and during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic on the discussion around equity and diversity initiatives in a predominantly White school district. We conducted thematic analyses of public communications of school…

This qualitative comparative case study examines the leadership involvement of 11 Black collegians and how they make sense of enacting transgenerationally informed knowledge(s) as racial socialization to navigate a predominantly White institution (PWI) campus. Findings indicated participants used elder communal instruction and parental home…

In this paper, I focus on the UK government's COVID-19 pandemic response to schooling in England with regards to the impact on race inequality, an area which has received comparatively little attention. I review the existing research, drawing on work by academics, think tanks, lobbying organisations and media reports, conducted between spring 2020…