AAST 391.01: ST - Race, Inequality & Education (original) (raw)

Land Acknowledgement: This course is taking place on the indigenous lands of the Salish and Kalispel people. Course Overview What is the relationship between racial inequality and education? This seminar-style honors course revolves around this question, exploring how school systems in the United States have perpetuated racial inequality, and considering if and how schools could instead work to combat racial inequality. We will draw on history, sociology, educational research and mainstream media in order to examine issues including:  school segregation, both historically and in the present  schools as instruments of assimilation  how race is constructed in predominantly white schools  causes of and solutions for the "achievement gap"  the impact of federal education policies on communities of color  the potential of ethnic studies and culturally responsive pedagogy This course culminates in a project which asks students to apply this information in order to understand an educational "case" of their own choosing. Course Objectives At the end of this course, you will be able to:  Identify and explain multiple ways in which educational systems have perpetuated racial inequality, including through unequal structures, through racial ideologies, and through specific policies and practices.