Secondary Education

The purpose of this study was to analyze the ways in which the experiences and concerns of a predominantly African American and Hispanic community affect how they view environmental issues. Their views are intended to serve as a guide in the development of an environmental education program that is being developed at one of the local parks. Moreover, this study intends to amplify the voices, perspectives, and concerns of a community that has often been ignored in prevailing environmental education research. Both qualitative and quantitative methods/techniques were employed in the study. The participants came from nine schools in the South East Oakland community. The schools were chosen based on their proximity to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Shoreline Park. Nine students, 9 parents, and 29 teachers participated in the study. The students and parents were interviewed, all 29 teachers completed a survey, and 4 of the teachers were also interviewed. Parent and student participants were mainly African American and Hispanic, reflectin