African American Male Adolescents, Schooling (and Mathematics): Deficiency, Rejection, and Achievement

Abstract

The academic achievement gap, particularly the mathematics achievement gap, between Black students and their White counterparts has been well documented with numerical facts. As mathematics education researchers attempt to develop theories and practices that assist in eradicating the gap, they would serve mathematics education well if they would expand the sphere of their research into the sociocultural arena. To assist in expanding the sphere, this article presents a review of key historical and current theoretical perspectives regarding the schooling experiences of African American students, with an emphasis on African American male students, borrowed from the disciplines of anthropology, social psychology, and sociology. The review is organized around three discourse clusters: the discourse of deficiency, the discourse of rejection, and the discourse of achievement. The author suggests that researchers move away from the discourses of deficiency and rejection and toward the discourse of achievement when developing sound education theories and classroom practices that assist in eradicating the academic (and mathematics) achievement gap.

The Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision Volume 3, Number 1

“…Historically, differences between students existed naturally and instructors adjusted class instruction to accommodate for disparities (Stinson, 2006). However, large technological discrepancies between students adversely affect instructors, curricula and programs (Blackmore, Tantum, & Van Deurzen, 2008).…”

Yes we can achieve in mathematics and why we don't : African American female eleventh and twelfth grade students in a career and technical setting.

“…Although a substantial body ofliterature on African American students' underachievement in mathematics is available (Berry, 2003;Brand, Glasson, & Green, 2006;Dimitriadis, 2001;Education Trust, 2003;Parsons, Travis, & Simpson, 2005;Jamar & Pitts, 2005;Lee, 2004;Moody, 1998;Powell-Mikle, 2001;Russell, 2005;Saddler, 2005;Stinson, 2006;Tate, 1997), relatively little attention has been given to the difficult and complex issues associated with the learning and achievement of African American students within the public school system. According to Powell-Mikle (2001), "This narrowing of focus tends to blame African American students for their failure instead of examining their experiences or perceptions to help alleviate the problem" (p. 3).…”

“…According to Powell-Mikle (2001), "This narrowing of focus tends to blame African American students for their failure instead of examining their experiences or perceptions to help alleviate the problem" (p. 3). The majority ofthe published research has focused primarily on the personal characteristics of the African American student (Flores, 2007), paying only minimal attention to their mathematics classroom experiences (Stinson, 2006). After analyzing a plethora of "equity research within mathematics education" (Stinson, 2006, p. 477) Lubienski and Bowen (2000) comment, " ... researchers look primarily at outcomes of these equity groups [ethnicity or class] and rarely examine how schooling experiences contribute to these outcomes" (p. 631).…”

“…But you have to be realistic being a nigger" (Perry, 2003, p. 20). Perry According to Stinson (2006), teachers that buy into the "discourse of deficiency" attribute the low achievement of African American students to "higher rates of poverty, living in high crime communities, unstable single parenting, and minimal parental involvement, as well as suffering from the negative effects of slavery, segregation, racism, and discrimination" (p. 483). Conversely, in a study done by Ullenberg and Brown (2002) it was found that African American teachers perceived the substantive gap in achievement to be related to teachers and schools.…”

Stereotype Threat and the Standardized Testing Experiences of African American Children at an Urban Elementary School

“…Herrnstein & Murray, 1994;Thernstrom & Thernstrom, 2003). CRT advocates for research on the racial standardized test score gap to move from a discourse of "deficiency" and to a discourse of achievement (see Stinson, 2006). Deficit models justify certain educational policies detrimental to students of color (see Meier & Wood, 2004).…”