Georgia Southern University Digital Commons@Georgia Southern Electronic Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies, Jack N. Averitt College of Fall 2010 Racial Microaggressions by Secondary School Teachers against Students of Color Mary Anne Meeks Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd Recommended Citation Meeks, Mary Anne, "Racial Microaggressions by Secondary School Teachers against Students of Color" (2010). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 355. https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/355 This dissertation (open access) is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies, Jack N. Averitt College of at Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. For more information, please contact [email protected]. RACIAL MICROAGGRESSIONS BY SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS AGAINST STUDENTS OF COLOR by MARY ANNE PERCY MEEKS (Under the Direction of Linda M. Arthur) ABSTRACT Racial microaggressions are the subtle, oftentimes unconscious words or actions that are committed against people of color that denigrate them and may cause emotional and physical harm (Sue, Capodilupo et al., 2007). Because children are so vulnerable, it is important that educators understand the negative effects of racial microaggressions in a school setting and how to avoid them. The purpose of this research is to study the racial microaggressions that secondary school teachers may enact against students of color. Most research on racial microaggressions has taken place in higher education in the form of qualitative studies of focus groups. Few quantitative research studies have been found in secondary schools that study teachers being responsible for racial microaggressions against students. The current investigation utilizes the Student Life Experiences Survey (SLES), a twenty-one question survey that was administered to 342 twelfth grade students in a large, racially diverse public high school. The SLES measured the student’s perception of the frequency of racial microaggressions they encountered by teachers over a four-year period and how bothered the students were by the racial microaggressions. The survey also allowed students to record written instances of racial microaggressions they experienced or observed. Through ANOVA analysis, the results of the survey 2 revealed that students did not perceive many racial microaggressions over a four-year period, nor were they bothered by the ones they did experience. The written comments, however, indicated that students were much more bothered by the racial microaggressions than what was recorded on the survey. Asian and Hispanic students perceived they were called on more often by teachers to represent their race in class discussions and to teach words in their native language. Asian students perceived teachers thinking they all looked alike, and this bothered them. Hispanic students alleged that teachers thought they were illegal immigrants, and this bothered them greatly. The results of this study yield implications for anyone working with students. Racial microaggressions by teachers do happen to students of color, and they are bothered by them. INDEX WORDS: Racial microaggressions, Aversive racism, Ambivalent racism, Microinvalidation, Microinsult, Modern racism 3 RACIAL MICROAGGRESSIONS BY SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS AGAINST STUDENTS OF COLOR by MARY ANNE PERCY MEEKS B.S., Northeast Louisiana University 1973 M.S. Louisiana State University 1976 Ed.S. North Georgia College & State University 2005 A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Georgia Southern University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF EDUCATION STATESBORO, GEORGIA 2010 4 © 2010 MARY ANNE PERCY MEEKS All Rights Reserved 5 RACIAL MICROAGGRESSIONS BY SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS AGAINST STUDENTS OF COLOR BY MARY ANNE PERCY MEEKS Major Professor: Linda M. Arthur Committee: Stephen Jenkins Leon Spencer Electronic Version Approved: December 2010 6 DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to my parents, Jim and Mary Percy, and to my grandson, Dallas James Spires. My mother always used to say, “There is never any excuse to be rude,” and she meant it. My father lived that principle every day. Mom and Dad lived in the Deep South during a time when paternalism, not fraternalism, governed race relations. Yet they both managed to rear four children who learned to love and respect others. Much of my parent’s idealism is the foundation of this research. Another one of Mom and Dad’s sayings is that the children need to be better than the parents, or the parents have not done their job. I think that is true not only of our own children, but also of the students we teach. This dissertation is also dedicated to my grandson, DJ, that he may be better than us all. 7 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice. ~Meister Eckhart My thanks run deep and wide for the many people who have touched my life in some way. My dissertation would not be without the members of my committee. My methodologist, Dr Stephen Jenkins, rescued me from statistics hell, and encouraged me to think deeply and write with purpose. Dr. Leon Spencer is the philosophical giant who knows many of the authors cited in this paper and inspires me with his knowledge. More than that, he challenged me to think outside of my own comfort zone, to include the larger world in which race relations are not always so easy as it is in my own school. Finally, my dissertation chairperson, Dr. Linda M. Arthur, is the cheerleader who always pushed me to “get it done, but done right.” She is the spirit I needed, sharing her great sense of humor, keeping me grounded, and moving ahead. I owe great thanks to the many fine professors who taught me in my doctoral program at Georgia Southern University. Each offered unique insights that have assisted me in some way, even if I did not realize it at the moment. Special thanks go to Dr. Sharon Brooks who opened my eyes to race relations in the United States. She challenged me in ways that were distinctly uncomfortable at times, but served as a great learning opportunity. The Student Life Experiences Survey (SLES) that I created for this research study was adapted from the work of Shirley Harrel and Kevin Nadal, both who offered me the 8 use of their materials. I am indebted to both for their professional kindness. I am also thankful to Deryl Sue Wing, who while he said he was not helping me, sent me four articles to consider. His interest helped to jump-start my research and I am grateful. I purposively chose a cohort program for my doctoral studies that met in a classroom setting for many reasons, the most important to me being the camaraderie and support the members of the cohort give each other. I would not have started or finished this program without the support and love of Carla Whitehead Youman. Carla is that rare friend who can do anything well, who gives more than she takes, and who knows when and how to motivate me to do my best. “How Great Thou Art” applies to more than just the music we listened to on our long drives to class. From day one of our cohort there were two other students who inspired me to do well, Shrone Blackwell and Damita Bynes. Damita reminded me of the faith needed to travel this world. Shrone showed me how to get the job done. “Just write” was her theme song, and it worked. I would not have entered the doctoral program had it not been for the encouragement of my professors at North Georgia College & State University, where I earned my specialist degree in teacher leadership. Dr. India Podsen inspired me with her love of teaching, at any age. Dr. Bob Michael is just one of the most intelligent professors I know. Both Dr. Podsen and Dr. Michael wrote letters of recommendation that got me into this mess. The other two individuals who recommended me for the doctoral program were my-then-principal, Mr. Pat Blenke, and Dr. Mary Kay Murphy, Gwinnett County School Board member. Pat always puts others first in his professional life, starting with his family, and he had a knack for making all of us in his high school feel like part of his 9 family. Dr. Mary Kay Murphy is one of the most gracious ladies I have ever known. She taught me by her example the meaning of “as long as I have breath.” I really would like to be like her when I grow up! I would be remiss if I did not mention my earlier teachers, the Sisters of Divine Providence who taught me in high school, and the Sisters of the Most Holy Sacrament who were my elementary school teachers. These women were young and inspiring and taught me a passion for teaching. If I could only pick two sisters who were my inspiration it would be Sister Cecile Clare Vanderlick and Sister Ann Petrus. Sister C.C. was indefatigable not only in her teaching, but also in her own education. She never tired of going back to school for another degree. Sister Ann made school fun, and that is hard to do when you teach mathematics! She had a knack for instilling a desire to learn, but also enjoy life along the way. Much of my own philosophy of teaching can be traced to these wonderful sisters. There were many wonderful teachers at Northeast Louisiana University, but Mrs. Nelwyn Bickley Norwood stands out as friend, counselor, and phenomenal teacher. Mrs. Bickley modeled the power of combining a good story with teaching methodology. She not only taught us English, she also taught us how to persevere when times were tough.