An Exploration of the Educational Experiences of African American Female High School Students A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Alyssa Jeannine Elmore, M.Ed. Graduate Program in Education: Educational Policy and Leadership The Ohio State University 2015 Dissertation Committee: Dr. Beverly Gordon, Advisor Dr. Ann Allen, Co-Advisor Dr. Antoinette Errante Copyrighted by Alyssa Jeannine Elmore 2015 Abstract This study is an exploration of the educational experiences of African American female high school students. Based upon the premise that education and schooling do not occur in a vacuum but are dependent on and situated within the broader context of society and daily life, the purpose of the study is to explore the overarching theme of how African American girls navigate their personal, social and educational worlds to construct their attitudes and perceptions about education, their lives, and their success as students. More specifically, as Berger and Luckmann (1966) contend, the primary socialization of children occurs in the home, and the secondary socialization occurs in societal institutions, namely schools. Forty-four years later, Sadker and Zittleman (2010) make the similar argument that children are socialized by interactions with their families, peer groups, schools and the media. This investigation aims to explore these four areas as they relate to the participants’ educational experiences. According to psychology, sociology, health and educational research, African American girls have multiple experiences that are impacted by their race, class and gender. Issues such as self-esteem, physical and emotional health, risk behavior, family structure, and in-school discipline have been explored in the literature. The researcher has collected data by conducting classroom observations and individual and group interviews with seven African American female high school juniors and seniors. The participants have reflected upon the span of their experiences in grades K-12. ii The research questions are as follows: (a) What role do home and family experiences have in the construction of attitudes and perceptions that African American female students hold about themselves, their lives, education, and schooling? (b) What role do schooling experiences have in the construction of attitudes and perceptions that African American female students hold about their lives, education, and schooling? (c) What role do social and peer experiences have in the construction of attitudes and perceptions that African American female students hold about their lives, education and schooling? (d) What role does the media have in the construction of attitudes and perceptions that African American female students hold about their lives, education and schooling? (e) What are the educational needs of African American girls? By using grounded theory for analysis, the researcher has determined that the participants’ narratives reveal the significant role of family, resilience in the face of trauma, resistance to cultural stereotypes, and the significance of peer relationships and the media in their everyday lives. Furthermore, the data reflects the participants’ needs in schools as they pertain to social and emotional support and a curriculum that represents them as African American girls. The researcher offers several recommendations for parents, teachers and policy makers. These include, but are not limited to, educators encouraging the participants through a pedagogy of support that promotes mentorship, social and emotional support and an acknowledgement of their humanity. iii For Shanta Dianne Elmore and Generations of Infinite Love iv Acknowledgements When my doctoral work began, I was unable to fully conceptualize the professional and personal journey that lay before me. During my years of teaching, I learned that there was much to explore and understand about our educational system. This became highly personal as I grew to understand the most basic premise: that my students were above all, human, and deserved an educator who made it her mission to understand the world in which we are situated. My coursework and research have allowed me to explore this further and I have been adequately prepared to contribute to the field. My time at The Ohio State University has been marked by support, guidance and encouragement and I would like to acknowledge several people who have had a significant impact upon me during my time here. First, I would like to extend my most sincere gratitude to my advisor, Dr. Beverly Gordon. I am grateful for your guidance, support and inspiration. Your tireless commitment to my success is deeply appreciated. Your guidance and knowledge has proven invaluable and it has been an honor to work with you. I would also like to thank my committee members, Dr. Antoinette Errante and Dr. Ann Allen. Your feedback and guidance have been absolutely indispensible and meaningful and I am grateful for your support of my vision and work. v I offer my very warm gratitude to the teacher-gatekeeper and principal of the school site where this research was conducted. You believed in my work from the start and were incredibly supportive and accommodating. Thank you again for your assistance. To the seven incredibly brave young ladies who allowed me into their lives for this study: You have entrusted me with your stories and I have had the awesome opportunity to represent you in a way that is befitting of who you are: powerful, vibrant, bright, and beautiful. You have a great deal to offer the world. Please continue to shine brightly and you will succeed at everything you do. I thank you for your courage and your willingness to speak your truth. Your vulnerability was not in vain; your voices matter and people are listening. Most importantly, I am overwhelmingly grateful for the outpouring of love and support from my family, loved ones and friends. To my parents: You have always been my biggest supporters. Thank you for always believing in me and pushing me to strive to reach the highest of levels. Your love has been invaluable and I will never be able to thank you enough. I did it Daddy! To my family: Your love, prayers and encouragement have helped sustain me in ways that you will never know. I am eternally grateful. This accomplishment is just as much yours as it is mine. To special friends and loved ones: You have shown your support in a multitude of ways; whether it be through regular phone calls, visits, messages, hugs, dinners, planning grand trips or offering plane tickets for me to have a break, you provided a loving and listening ear and showed that I have an awesome group of people in my life. I love you all. vi And finally, to Eyatta Fischer: We have traveled this journey together and even in the dark, we challenged each other to see the light. May you rest in peace knowing the countless lives that you have touched. vii Vita 2004…………………………………............Valhalla High School 2008…………………………………………B.A. History, Spelman College 2011…………………………………………M.Ed. Early Childhood Education, Georgia State University 2011 to 2012………………………………..Graduate School Fellow, Department of Educational Policy and Leadership, The Ohio State University 2012 to 2015……………………………......Graduate Teaching and Research Associate, Department of Educational Studies, The Ohio State University Publications Elmore, A. (2015). African-centered schools as sources of resistance to cultural oppression. In The SAGE encyclopedia of african cultural heritage in north america. (pp. 182-185). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc. Fields of Study Major Field: Education: Educational Policy and Leadership viii Table of Contents Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………ii Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………………….v Vita.……………………………………………………………………………………..viii List of Figures………………………………………………………………………..……x Chapter 1: Overview………………………………………………………………………1 Chapter 2: Literature Review…………………………………………………………….11 Chapter 3: Methodology………………..………………………………………………..49 Chapter 4: The Educational, Social and Personal Experiences of African American Female High School Students……………………………………………………………64 Chapter 5: Discussion and Analysis……...…………………………………………….283 Chapter 6: Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations…………………………….353 References………………………………………………………………………………369 Appendix A: Consent Forms and Human Subjects Approval……………………….....378 Appendix B: Sample Interview Questions …………….....…………………………….390 ix List of Figures Figure 1. Networks of Support…………………………………………………………298 Figure 2. Spheres of Influence………………………………………………………… 328 x Chapter 1: Overview Introduction On January 30, 2014, President Barack Obama stood before the people of the United States of America and outlined his vision for the direction and political agenda for the country in the annual State of the Union Address. President Obama referenced several policy initiatives, including global competitiveness, the federal incentive program Race to the Top (RTTT) early childhood education, and college and workforce readiness. He spoke primarily to the working-class and middle-class sectors of American society as he addressed opportunity for all and economic growth and stability. Toward the end of the segment, in keeping with this theme, President Obama stated: “…I’m reaching out to some of America’s leading foundations and corporations on a new initiative to help more young men of color facing tough odds stay on track