ALWAYS ROOM AT THE TOP

302 Pages·2009·2.99 MB·English

ALWAYS ROOM AT THE TOP:
BLACK STUDENTS AND EDUCATIONAL POLICY IN ITHACA, NY

A Dissertation
Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School
of Cornell University
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Philosophy

by
Sean W. Eversley Bradwell
January 2009
© 2009 Sean W. Eversley Bradwell
ALWAYS ROOM AT THE TOP:
BLACK STUDENTS AND EDUCATIONAL POLICY IN ITHACA, NY
Sean W. Eversley Bradwell, Ph.D.
Cornell University 2009

Frequently referred to as the achievement gap, racial disparities in educational
outcomes are reported in school districts across the nation. Most educational research
focuses on this crisis in urban communities, and overcrowded classrooms,
underfunded schools, unqualified teachers as well as inadequate resources are some of
the commonly identified causes. However, racial disparities are equally found in top-
rated districts where these factors are least likely to exist. The growing body of
research documenting racial disparities in top-rated districts has challenged the
conventional wisdom about the origin, causes, and solutions of racial disparities in
schools.
Drawing on tenets from Afrocentricity and critical race theory, this dissertation
explores educational inequity and related policy in a top-rated, suburban school
district. The project examines the historic roots of racial disparities in this district and
employs qualitative interviews with black students as a means to analyze and better
understand how students experience these disparities. On the basis of this investigation
and its findings, policy recommendations are made for the purpose of helping districts
such as the one studied close their education gap. Ultimately, the study also concludes
that educational reforms will be ineffective unless they address the fact that racial
disparities are often linked to and rooted in institutionalized policies and practices that
are deeply entrenched and protected at the community level.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Sean W. Eversley Bradwell is an alumnus of Amsterdam High School (NY).
He completed his B.A. in political science from the University of Rochester and his
M.S. from Rochester’s Warner Graduate School of Education and Human
Development. Mr. Eversley Bradwell began teaching in Ithaca (NY) during the fall of
1996 and has held positions as a lecturer, assistant to the principal, and social studies
teacher.
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DEDICATION

To
Mildred ‘Aunt Millie’ Mason
and
Ashfield Muhammad ‘Uncle Buster’ Devent
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
At the outset, there is never space enough to adequately thank or acknowledge
the people who have assisted our journeys. Any omissions should be charged to the
head and not the heart.
I’ve been blessed by a host of doctors. Words cannot fully capture my
gratitude for and appreciation of the mentorship provided by Dr. James Turner, Dr.
Deborah Manning, Dr. Dave Lehman, Dr. Donald Barr, Dr. Jeff Claus, Dr. Tanya
Saunders, Dr. Roger Richardson, and Dr. Asma Barlas. I am particularly thankful for
the assistance—and incredible patience—of my dissertation committee: Dr. Josephine
Allen, Dr. Ayele Bekerie, and Dr. Arthur Wilson. Thank you all. Your intellectual,
professional, and personal guidance has been immeasurable.
I would be remiss if I did not thank the many folks outside the academy who
made this work and journey possible. First, my parents—Lawrence and Deborah
Bradwell—who have always stressed the importance of education. Their love and
encouragement is largely responsible for the man I am today—and, more importantly,
the man I hope to be tomorrow. To my wife—Nicole—the embodiment of strength
and support; to my daughter, Adriane, who has taught me more about life than I could
hope to return; to my brother, Ryan, my extended family (aunts, uncles, cousins, play-
cousins); my Gallucci-in-laws; colleagues; Diane Carruthers, Barry Derfel, and Mac
Knight, students; friends; antagonists, and countless others—thank you for your
support.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.........................................................................................iii
DEDICATION..............................................................................................................iv
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS..............................................................................................v
TABLE OF CONTENTS..............................................................................................vi
LIST OF FIGURES.......................................................................................................ix
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.........................................................................................x
LIST OF TABLES........................................................................................................xi
PREFACE.....................................................................................................................xii
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION...................................................................................1
Statement of the Problem........................................................................................1
Purpose and Significance of the Study...................................................................8
Clarification of Language.....................................................................................10
Naming Black Americans.....................................................................................14
Outline of Remaining Chapters.............................................................................20
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW......................................................................21
Early Origins (1619–1800)...................................................................................22
Freedom Uprisings (1801–1865)..........................................................................25
Reconstruction (1865–1895).................................................................................27
Separate but Unequal (1896–1954).......................................................................31
Brown v. Board of Education I (1954) and Brown v. Board of Education II
(1955)..............................................................................................................34
Duality of Brown...................................................................................................36
Deficit Model Approaches....................................................................................39
Educating Black Students Today..........................................................................41
Educating Black Students: Lessons Learned........................................................43
Cultural Capital Theory and Social Reproduction................................................44
Critical Race Theory and Education.....................................................................49
Conclusion of Literature Review..........................................................................50
CHAPTER 3: AFROCENTRIC ASSUMPTIONS......................................................52
The Quest for a Research Methodology...............................................................52
Afrocentricity and Assumptions...........................................................................53
Afrocentric Assumptions Summary......................................................................72
CHAPTER 4: RESEARCH METHODS and DESIGN...............................................73
Afrocentric Research Methods..............................................................................73
Groundedness of Research....................................................................................74
Knowledge Construction.......................................................................................74
Concept of Justice.................................................................................................75
Rejection of Researcher/Participant Separation....................................................75
Welfare of Participants..........................................................................................76
Qualitative Research.............................................................................................76
Critique of Objectivity..........................................................................................77
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Validity and Trustworthiness................................................................................78
Research Design....................................................................................................80
Sample Design......................................................................................................80
Data Collection.....................................................................................................82
Participants............................................................................................................83
Additional Data Collection...................................................................................84
Data Analysis........................................................................................................85
Limitations............................................................................................................86
Generalizability.....................................................................................................88
CHAPTER 5: RESULTS.............................................................................................90
Expected Results...................................................................................................93
Curriculum............................................................................................................95
Teachers................................................................................................................97
Black/Brown Teachers..........................................................................................98
Race and Racism.................................................................................................104
Patterns................................................................................................................110
Word Counts.......................................................................................................112
Conclusion..........................................................................................................115
CHAPTER 6: TIMELOOP: BLACK FOLKS AND SCHOOLING IN ITHACA,
NY........................................................................................................................117
Introduction of Timeloop....................................................................................117
Timeloop Summary.............................................................................................118
Timeloop as Spoken Word..................................................................................120
Achieving Equity: Where Have We Been? (2008, March 27, The History
Center, Ithaca, NY).......................................................................................121
CHAPTER 7: POLICY INITIATIVES AND CONCLUSIONS...............................157
Students as Policy Makers..................................................................................157
Classroom Space.................................................................................................157
Discipline Protocols............................................................................................159
Testing and Assessment......................................................................................162
Teachers and Teaching........................................................................................164
Black Staff...........................................................................................................167
Relevancy of Curriculum....................................................................................172
Tracking/Ability Grouping.................................................................................178
Areas of Future Research....................................................................................183
CHAPTER 8: CONCLUSION...................................................................................187
APPENDIX 1: SELECTIONS FROM ICSD EQUITY REPORT CARD................192
Glossary of Terms...............................................................................................192
APPENDIX 2: PARENTAL CONSENT FORM.......................................................200
APPENDIX 3: CHILD ASSENT FORM...................................................................202
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APPENDIX 4: SEMISTRUCTURED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS.........................203
APPENDIX 5: TIMELOOP: BLACK FOLKS AND SCHOOLING IN ITHACA,
NY........................................................................................................................205
Equity Timeloop.................................................................................................205
Timeloop: Black Folks and Schooling in Ithaca, NY.........................................208
BIBLIOGRAPHY......................................................................................................249

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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure A.1.1: ICSD Student Demographics...............................................................193
Figure A.1.2: ICSD Staff Demographics...................................................................194
Figure A.1.3: ICSD Special Education Classification................................................195
Figure A.1.4: ICSD Advanced Placement (AP) Enrollment......................................196
Figure A.1.5: ICSD Out-of-School Suspensions........................................................197
Figure A.1.6: ICSD 3rd and 8th Grade Language Arts and Mathematics Test
Scores...................................................................................................................198
Figure A.1.7: ICSD Graduation Rates........................................................................199

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