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Identifying Disproportionality: Causes, Problems and Solutions Unconscious Discrimination and Racial Bias

Identifying Disproportionality: Causes, Problems and Solutions Unconscious Discrimination and Racial Bias. Markeda L. Newell Doctoral Student School Psychology University of Wisconsin-Madison. Why Race Matters?. Race is a factor See Losen & Orfield (2002) for review

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Identifying Disproportionality: Causes, Problems and Solutions Unconscious Discrimination and Racial Bias

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  1. Identifying Disproportionality: Causes, Problems and SolutionsUnconscious Discrimination and Racial Bias Markeda L. Newell Doctoral Student School Psychology University of Wisconsin-Madison

  2. Why Race Matters? • Race is a factor • See Losen & Orfield (2002) for review • “Race matters because it is an imperfect proxy for racism and racial discrimination.” (Randall, 1999, p.1) • Race matters because we have various perceptions of racial groups that affect our actions as professionals, which in turn directs a student’s educational path.

  3. Development of Racial Lens

  4. Race in Disproportionality • Racial bias and discrimination • Conscious and Unconscious • Unconscious racial bias and discrimination • Unknowingly or unintentionally being discriminatory based on race (Losen & Orfield, 2002) • Impact • Referral and identification process • Placement • Quality of services • Schooling experiences of racially/ethnically diverse students

  5. Manifestations • Inclination towards pathology, delinquency, criminality “…the bad conduct of a white male student is likely to be excused as a one-time slip while an African American youth who similarly misbehaves is labeled a perpetual troublemaker and severely punished, thought by the school that he has nothing to lose by being so classified” (Fremon & Hamilton, 1997 as cited in Schwartz, 2003) • Low expectations • Intellectually inferior • Less capable of controlling behavior • Stricter rules, more severe punishments, lower tolerance • Problematic family or home-life • Parents/guardians do not value education • Students live in a “broken home”

  6. Implications • Racially/ethnically diverse students are: • overrepresented in special education (in the most restrictive environments); • underrepresented in gifted/talented; and • more likely to drop-out of school. • Practice • Need to put this issue on the table as a race-based issue • Need to use authentic, individualized problem-solving • Need to acknowledge and examine your racial lens in practice and its implications for students • Need to rely on what you know as best practices as a professional

  7. What Can I Do? • Understand Yourself: • Engage in Self-Awareness Development • Culturally • Racially* • Economically* • Understand the Client: • Use of an ecological perspective on behavior (Miranda, 2002) • Develop cultural competence (i.e., knowledge, communication, & skill) (Ortiz & Flanagan, 2002) • Develop strong home-school relationships(Esler, Godber, & Christenson, 2002)

  8. Thank You! Questions and Comments

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