“Oppressive language does more than represent violence; it is violence; does more than represent the limits of knowledge; it limits knowledge.” -Toni Morrison (Nobel lecture, 1993)
In terms of the Black community, the "deficit theory" of education asserts that Black students, who differ from white American standards of education, should be considered deficient. In order to counteract deficit narratives, it is imperative to incorporate positive representations of Black culture, history, and contributions at every level of education. The intentionality of including Black voice, leaders, research, and initiatives will consequently contribute to the success of the Black student. Black students in America are steadily misrepresented, fueling a false narrative that wrongly defines standards of education. In my personal quest towards higher education, I've identified three circumstances that further perpetuate deficit narratives.
In terms of the Black community, the "deficit theory" of education asserts that Black students, who differ from white American standards of education, should be considered deficient. In order to counteract deficit narratives, it is imperative to incorporate positive representations of Black culture, history, and contributions at every level of education. The intentionality of including Black voice, leaders, research, and initiatives will consequently contribute to the success of the Black student. Black students in America are steadily misrepresented, fueling a false narrative that wrongly defines standards of education. In my personal quest towards higher education, I've identified three circumstances that further perpetuate deficit narratives.
In K-12 education, Black students are seldom represented in education materials and are often misinformed about their history; Black students attending higher education institutions encounter bodies of literature that "speak" to the Black experience from a white perspective with little to no positive representation of Black scholars in their school's curriculum; and in the field of academia, the validity of Black research and scholarships is often discredited or dismissed altogether. These three instances cultivate an educational environment where individuals outside of the community attempt to define Black students’ scholarship and success. Additionally, conversations surrounding Black educational attainments often scrutinize Black students and minimize their educational accomplishments to meager proficiency levels, which are not necessarily indicators of college readiness. The problem is that the conversation surrounding deficit theory is built on the falsehood that Black education attainment is defined by white American standards.
While acquiring my Master's, it became even more evident that deficit narratives in regards to education were ingrained in the curriculum. What was even more disturbing was that my peers, who would become future educators, policy makers, and researchers, had developed a skewed perspective of my community, the Black community. I was fathomed by the lack of urgency for deconstructing the notion of black deficiency. Furthermore, I felt an obligation to advance in my educational career in order to establish a foundation to dismantle said narratives from inside of educational institutions and bodies of research.
One aspect of the crisis in Black education is deconstructing deficit narratives in order to fundamentally shift the state of education for Black America. I believe that increased representation of actionable and sufficient narratives encompassing positive representation of Blacks in education is one solution to an age-old problem. Conversations highlighting Black excellence in and outside of the classroom, asserting the Black community's resilience in developing their own platforms for empowering Black scholarship, and stressing the community’s ability to cultivating community-based programs that support Black education are dire.
Conversations centered on actionable and sufficient narratives involve, but are not limited to, four transformational pillars that should be engrained in education as a whole. First, empower the community to self-define; far too often members outside of the community feel justified in defining the conditions of achieving excellence. Second, engage and understand the Black community through thoughtful research; this includes promoting the use of Blackacademic's research and acknowledging Black contributions without minimizing their impact. Third, promote Black scholarship; do not inherently question or discredit the validity of Black scholarship. In fact, use it as a resource to take an in-depth look at education and other social constructs. Last but not least, celebrate the Black community; historically, the Black community has acted as a catalyst for the advancement of marginalized communities including setting precedent for matters involving education. To celebrate the Black community is to celebrate social advancement.
The crisis in Black education is not a new phenomenon. Examples of which can be seen during the age of slavery and an unyielding pursuit of learning; the establishment Black colleges and universities; setting precedence for education law; and establishing community-based programs. The crisis in Black education is and always has been an American crisis. As such, it should be of the utmost importance to individuals both within and outside of the Black community.
While acquiring my Master's, it became even more evident that deficit narratives in regards to education were ingrained in the curriculum. What was even more disturbing was that my peers, who would become future educators, policy makers, and researchers, had developed a skewed perspective of my community, the Black community. I was fathomed by the lack of urgency for deconstructing the notion of black deficiency. Furthermore, I felt an obligation to advance in my educational career in order to establish a foundation to dismantle said narratives from inside of educational institutions and bodies of research.
One aspect of the crisis in Black education is deconstructing deficit narratives in order to fundamentally shift the state of education for Black America. I believe that increased representation of actionable and sufficient narratives encompassing positive representation of Blacks in education is one solution to an age-old problem. Conversations highlighting Black excellence in and outside of the classroom, asserting the Black community's resilience in developing their own platforms for empowering Black scholarship, and stressing the community’s ability to cultivating community-based programs that support Black education are dire.
Conversations centered on actionable and sufficient narratives involve, but are not limited to, four transformational pillars that should be engrained in education as a whole. First, empower the community to self-define; far too often members outside of the community feel justified in defining the conditions of achieving excellence. Second, engage and understand the Black community through thoughtful research; this includes promoting the use of Blackacademic's research and acknowledging Black contributions without minimizing their impact. Third, promote Black scholarship; do not inherently question or discredit the validity of Black scholarship. In fact, use it as a resource to take an in-depth look at education and other social constructs. Last but not least, celebrate the Black community; historically, the Black community has acted as a catalyst for the advancement of marginalized communities including setting precedent for matters involving education. To celebrate the Black community is to celebrate social advancement.
The crisis in Black education is not a new phenomenon. Examples of which can be seen during the age of slavery and an unyielding pursuit of learning; the establishment Black colleges and universities; setting precedence for education law; and establishing community-based programs. The crisis in Black education is and always has been an American crisis. As such, it should be of the utmost importance to individuals both within and outside of the Black community.
Ashley Campbell, a Research Analyst for a non-profit organization in Philadelphia, has over 10 years of experience in education. She embodies an unrelenting passion for education disparities, juvenile justice systems, and assessing how positions of power and hierarchy translate into the field of education. Ashley’s overall goal is to look at education and the Black community from an organizational stance and in hopes to the educational opportunities afforded to Black youth.
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