Charter School of the Year: A Critical Race Theory Analysis and Counterstory
Location
Race and Schooling (Session 1 Breakouts)
Proposal Track
Research Project
Session Format
Presentation
Abstract
Critical race scholars strive to study, theorize, and effect change in the relationship between race and power. They acknowledge that race is constructed, racism is permanent and omnipresent, change in racial structures only occur when beneficial to the interests of the White majority, White people enjoy privileges based solely upon their skin color, and believe that the stories of oppressed people must be shared in order to shine a light on current racial inequities. Counterstories are a valuable tool that can be utilized to shatter complacency and encourage resistance because they highlight the stories and experiences of frequently silenced or overlooked individuals and communities. While the majoritarian narrative implies that charter schools have no downside, counterstories reveal many of the problems commonly experienced following the opening of a new charter school. In 2019, the Georgia Charter School of the Year’s principal cited the support of parents, teachers, staff, and the local community as a reason for receiving the award. However, how many members of the local community who resided in the neighborhood before the charter school opened support or benefit from the school? How has the school affected the surrounding community?
Keywords
charter schools, critical race theory, equity, school choice
Professional Bio
Abigail S. Ruth is a doctoral student at Georgia State University in the Educational Policy Studies program. She is interested in neoliberal policies, school choice, charter schools, and the history of schooling in the U.S. South, particularly in the context of rural communities.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Ruth, Abigail S., "Charter School of the Year: A Critical Race Theory Analysis and Counterstory" (2020). Georgia Educational Research Association Conference. 7.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gera/2020/2020/7
Charter School of the Year: A Critical Race Theory Analysis and Counterstory
Race and Schooling (Session 1 Breakouts)
Critical race scholars strive to study, theorize, and effect change in the relationship between race and power. They acknowledge that race is constructed, racism is permanent and omnipresent, change in racial structures only occur when beneficial to the interests of the White majority, White people enjoy privileges based solely upon their skin color, and believe that the stories of oppressed people must be shared in order to shine a light on current racial inequities. Counterstories are a valuable tool that can be utilized to shatter complacency and encourage resistance because they highlight the stories and experiences of frequently silenced or overlooked individuals and communities. While the majoritarian narrative implies that charter schools have no downside, counterstories reveal many of the problems commonly experienced following the opening of a new charter school. In 2019, the Georgia Charter School of the Year’s principal cited the support of parents, teachers, staff, and the local community as a reason for receiving the award. However, how many members of the local community who resided in the neighborhood before the charter school opened support or benefit from the school? How has the school affected the surrounding community?
