Remnants from a History of Legal Segregation: Combating the Modern Vestiges of School Segregation Through Law and Psychology

Heaton Hall, R.H. (Rebecca)¹, Dirsmith, J. K. (Jessica)^2
1Weiss Burkardt Kramer, LLC / PREVAIL Educational Solutions, LLC, 445 Fort Pitt Blvd, Suite 503, 15219, Pittsburgh, Pa
²State College Area School District / Pennsylvania State University, 150 Garrett Way, 16870, State College, Pa

 

Submission type

Round Table Discussion

Scheduled

Room 103, 10-07-2019, 13:30 - 15:00

Keywords

Equal Protection, Implicit Bias, Disproportionate Practice, Vestige of Segregation, Ambient Societal Discrimination

Summary

In a post-Brown v. Board of Education society, the United States has undergone significant education reform (Brown, 1954 - Holding that separate but equal treatment of minority students violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution).  While it would be more palatable to assume that the Brown case resolved segregation and discrimination of minority students, disproportionate practices still occur.  Compared to white students, black students are disciplined at alarming rates and more likely to be labeled Emotionally Disturbed. (Losen, 2012).  Could this be attributed to a past of de jure segregation (segregation based on law)?

The United States judicial system has examined the effect of de jure segregation and found that despite our progressive society, a history of segregation has impacted the practices of school professionals (Yonkers, 2000).  Presented jointly by a school solicitor and school psychologist, this workshop will review the current status of de jure segregation, the vestiges of segregation (policy or practice traceable to legal segregation), de facto segregation (result of practice), and ambient societal discrimination with a discussion involving perspectives of attendees from other countries.  Attendees will review methods of reshaping of mindsets and assessment practices to avoid implicit bias.

Auteurs