Navigating through academia: an examination of the effects of race, class, and gender on the academic achievement of African American female students

Thesis (M.A., Education (Behavioral Sciences/Gender Equity Studies)) -- California State University, Sacramento, 2010.This study examines the effects of intersection of race, class, and gender on the educational experiences of African American female students. Many community forces affect the academic achievement of African American female students. For example, racial identity has been documented as contributing to the educational environment of African American students. African Americans are part of a racially stratified group in which their membership is permanent. Because of the historical implications of institutional racism controlled by the dominant culture, African Americans have learned to be skeptical of anything associated with the dominant culture. According to Ogbu (1992), African Americans are involuntary minorities, who are skeptical about the means of advancing in a society that is controlled by the dominant culture. \ud Class also has a strong impact on the educational experience of African American students. For students who are from low socioeconomic backgrounds, parent involvement is often low and educational resources are scarce. According to Slaughter and Epps (1987), ???parents influence their children???s academic achievement directly by their impact on the schools their children attend. Low SES and Black Families often lack the human and material resources needed for a positive academic environment in the house??? (p.19). \ud Lastly, gender bias in the classroom can also affect the academic success of African American female students in the classroom. In early education, when compared to their white counterparts, African American female students receive more instructional communication from their teacher, but are gradually socialized by instructors to be passive (Lips, 1989). The intersecting systems of oppression from racism, classism and sexism make the educational experience of African American female students unique in comparison to their peers of other ethnicities.\ud Sources of Data\ud The researcher sought to understand how factors such as race, class, and gender impact the educational experiences of African American female students. Using the constructivist design, the study attempts to explain the participants??? feelings and experiences as African American female students navigating through academia. Eight African American female students, ages 14-18, participated in this study as well as two Dunlap High Staff members. The methodology employed for this study is based on a qualitative and quantitative research design using a mixed method triangulation approach. Student participants were asked a predetermined set of 17 open-ended questions about their experiences with race, class, and gender within their learning environment. In addition to student participants being interviewed, a 31-question Likert scale survey was used to measure the participants??? levels of agreement to statements addressing race, class, and gender in education. Staff participants were also interviewed regarding their experiences in educating African American female students, and how race, class, and gender impact this particular demographic of students at Dunlap High. All interviews were digitally recorded for later transcription, and surveys were coded, entered, and analyzed using a SPSS (Statistical Packages for the Social Sciences) database. Participants??? responses were then divided into major themes and sub-themes. \ud Conclusions Reached\ud The participants in this study confirm most of the theories found in the literature review, with the exception of the level of gender bias experienced in the school setting. When student participants were asked questions regarding gender bias, female student participants stated that they were comfortable working with male students and they felt they were treated equally to their male counterparts. A majority of the student participants stated that they did not experience racial discrimination in the learning environment, but did express their awareness of racial barriers they will encounter once leaving Dunlap High. Staff and student participants also conveyed the need for an increase in ethnic diversity of school administrators. Both students and staff discussed how parent involvement was important for academic success and the limitations parents from low and middle class households have when participating in the students??? educational process. All participants agreed that racism, classism, and sexism exist in society as a whole, but feel that these intersecting systems of oppression are not within their learning environment.Education (Behavioral Sciences Gender Equity Studies