Black Female School Counselors' Experiences
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INTERCHANGEABLE OPPRESSION: BLACK FEMALE SCHOOL COUNSELORS’ EXPERIENCES WITH BLACK ADOLESCENT GIRLS IN URBAN MIDDLE SCHOOLS Sonya June Hicks Submitted to the faculty of the University Graduate School in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in the School of Education, Indiana University August 2021 Accepted by the Graduate Faculty of Indiana University, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Doctoral Committee ______________________________________ Tambra Jackson Ph.D., Chair ______________________________________ Chalmer Thompson Ph.D. May 26, 2021 ______________________________________ Sha’Kema Blackmon Ph.D. ______________________________________ Crystal Morton Ph.D. ii © 2021 Sonya June Hicks iii DEDICATION This manuscript is dedicated to the Black female educators who strive daily to nurture, protect, and inspire Black girls to achieve, both individually and collectively. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I first thank God, and my Lord Jesus Christ for granting me the mental and physical strength to complete this project. To my family. First, my dear, loving, and amazing husband. I thank you for you for providing me unending support, encouragement, inspiration, and love throughout this PhD journey. I love you John…We did this together. Next, to my children. You inspire me to be the woman God wants me to be. You give me life, and you are Gifts from God that I am ever thankful for. Keep making me proud and be the individuals God wants you to be. I love you, Jillian (Javonte), and Matthew. To my loving parents. I thank my parents “James” Herman Bond and Ola June Bond (Jones) for giving me life and instilling in me God’s principles of love and faithfulness. Your words of wisdom seasoned with love have sustained me and given me the fortitude to achieve. I love and miss you Daddy, and I love you Momma. To my siblings. Roscoe (Lavern), Sharon, Letitia, and Ramona (Randy “Tac”). Thank you all for being there for me throughout my life, always looking out for me, and being the wonderful people you are. Thank you also for supporting our parents as they entered the later stages of life. I love you all. A special word to my late sister Ramona, who left us too soon. I miss you so, and you are forever in my thoughts. To my nieces, nephews, and grand nieces and nephews. Thank you for being the smart, talented, and outstanding individuals you are. You inspire me more than you know. Love to my nieces and nephews: James “Scoop,” Jerron (Chanel), Elena, Justen v “Buddy” (Tina), Ramone (Salihah), and Roland; along with my “grands” nieces and nephews: Justice Akhil, Ramona, Amir, Alissa, Nehemiah, Aiya, Nadae, Ava, and Josiah. To my committee, Dr. Tambra Jackson, my chair, along with members Dr. Chalmer Thompson, Dr. Sha’kema Blackmon, and Dr. Crystal Morton. I count it a blessing to have the support of four accomplished Black women. Your wisdom, intellect, and self-awareness both grounded me and motivated me to complete this project. I am forever grateful to each of you for your presence, along with your guidance, and your belief in me to complete this PhD journey. To the UES Faculty and staff in the Indiana University-Indianapolis School of Education, along with my classmates in UES “Cohort 5.” Keep fighting the good fight and striving to impact the educational experiences of children. I have learned so much from each of you. To the research participants. I sincerely appreciate your participation in devoting your time and lending your wisdom and experience toward this project. I could not have completed it without you. Many thanks and Blessings to each of you. Lastly, a special note to my “PhD sisters” Danielle Tate-McMillan and Latosha Rowley. Thank you for your companionship and for being sources of strength and inspiration to me throughout this process. I look forward to witnessing your continued accomplishments in the realms of education and community. May God continue to Bless you and keep you. Remember, we got this! vi Sonya June Hicks INTERCHANGEABLE OPPRESSION: BLACK FEMALE SCHOOL COUNSELORS’ EXPERIENCES WITH BLACK ADOLESCENT GIRLS IN URBAN MIDDLE SCHOOLS While much has been written about the work of school counselors in urban schools, there remains a void of information about the unique experiences of Black female school counselors, particularly in relation to their work with Black adolescent girls in the urban middle school space. This qualitative study seeks to illuminate these experiences via the contributions of four Black female school counselors who have worked in this capacity serving Black girls. Three points of inquiry or Research Questions served as guideposts for this study: (1) What are the personal and professional experiences of Black female school counselors in their work with Black adolescent girls in urban middle schools?, (2) What are Black female school counselors’ perspectives on the ways in which they are supported or not supported in working with Black adolescent girls? and, (3) In what ways (if any) does the concept of “mothering” show up in the relationships and counseling practices involving Black female school counselors and Black adolescent girls in urban middle schools? Thus far, it appears that Black women’s voices and perspectives have been devalued and ignored in research relating to school counseling. To adequately represent the perspectives and experiences of Black women as a marginalized group, I employed a critical hermeneutic phenomenological methodology, along with a Black feminist framework. I engaged the participants in two semi-structured interviews, along with asking them to construct a reflective vision board, serving as a mosaic of their lifeworlds vii as school counselors working with Black adolescent girls. These actions, along with a review of literature on the schooling experiences of Black adolescent girls in urban schools enabled me to acquire data leading to seven overarching themes relating to the following: relationships and connections based on culture and conversation, the need for support from decision-makers on programming, the physical and emotional investment in the work, mentoring, and the marginalization of Black women in school spaces. Lastly, I present conclusions and implications for school systems, school administrators, and professional school counselor organizations to aid in establishing effective practices in serving Black female students and enhancing the overall school counseling profession. Tambra Jackson Ph.D., Chair viii TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1: Introduction ........................................................................................................1 Problem Statement .........................................................................................................4 Research Questions ........................................................................................................6 Rationale ........................................................................................................................6 Significance....................................................................................................................7 Research Objectives .......................................................................................................7 Assumptions ...................................................................................................................8 Operational Definitions ..................................................................................................8 Theoretical Framework: Black Feminist Thought .......................................................12 Chapter 1 Summary .....................................................................................................14 Organization of the Study ............................................................................................14 Chapter 2: Review of Literature ........................................................................................16 Schooling Experiences of Black Adolescent Girls ......................................................17 Classroom Experiences ..........................................................................................18 Teacher Expectations .............................................................................................21 Cultural Stereotyping .............................................................................................22 Invisibility/Colonized Visibility ............................................................................24 Discipline Issues ....................................................................................................26 Racial and Historical Trauma ................................................................................28 Meeting the Need: The Black Female School Counselor ............................................30 Leadership ..............................................................................................................31 Advocacy ...............................................................................................................33 Collaboration..........................................................................................................35 Consultation ...........................................................................................................36 Dispositions, Benefits, and Concerns .........................................................................37 Mothering ...............................................................................................................37