Transformative Schooling
Towards Racial Equity in Education
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Taylor & Francis Ltd
Published:8th May '18
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
This hardback is available in another edition too:
- Paperback£42.99(9781138107007)
In Transformative Schooling, Vajra Watson examines achievement gaps as reflections of systemic racism, advocating for inclusive educational practices.
Discussions surrounding achievement gaps frequently arise in the context of education reform, yet they often remain unexamined as indicators of systemic white supremacy. In Transformative Schooling, award-winning scholar Vajra Watson challenges the prevailing narratives and offers a thought-provoking analysis of how schools can foster greater racial inclusivity. Her work not only highlights the existing disparities but also seeks to dismantle the structures that perpetuate them.
Grounded in her research conducted in Oakland, Watson reveals that while Black families are committed to sending their children to school, they encounter a stark contrast between the envisioned oasis of learning and the harsh realities of racism, low expectations, and marginalization. In response to this ongoing crisis of miseducation, the school district initiated a collaboration in 2010 with community organizers, religious leaders, and various stakeholders to confront institutionalized racism head-on.
Seven years later, Transformative Schooling presents the findings from Watson's exploration of the district's quest for justice. This original work is rich with insightful portraits that capture the intricate challenges of pursuing racial equity in education. Through her scholarship, Watson offers a bold and hopeful vision for reimagining educational ecosystems—spaces that prioritize humanization, healing, and harmony, ultimately laying the groundwork for transformative schooling.
‘A bold call to action, a passionate plea for justice, a discerning document of wise witness, Transformative Schooling tells the inspirational story of an inner city school district that resists the ravages and legacy of institutional racism and begins to reimagine and construct an educational community based on trust, respect, and accountability among all the stakeholders, paving the way for student empowerment and achievement. Educators will find compelling insights, challenging truths, practical lessons, and reasons for hope in this work.’
—Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot, Emily Hargroves Fisher Professor of Education, Harvard University, Author of The Good High School, I’ve Known Rivers, and Respect
‘This book reminds us that we must fight for and demand ecosystems of racial justice during these heightened times of white supremacy, xenophobia, and racism. A vividly powerful, multi-layered analysis of people, places, policies, and practices of hope and resistance, this book is a must read for anyone interested in and committed to challenging normative structures that perpetuate the status quo.’
—H. Richard Milner IV, Helen Faison Professor of Urban Education, University of Pittsburgh, Author of Rac(e)ing to Class, Handbook of Urban Education, and Start Where You Are, But Don’t Stay There
'Transformative Schooling' is that all-too-rare example and substance needed in education: analysis intertwined with context. Throughout this person-ful and human-filled narrative, Watson lifts up and maintains the entangled complexities of white supremacy, masculinity, Black empowerment, and education as a practice of freedom. With a straightforward transparency about her own learning and priorities, Watson paints a rich portrait of the complicated and multi-faceted work of reconnecting a community with its own sovereign power.
—Leigh Patel, Professor, University of California at Riverside, Author of Decolonizing Educational Research and Youth Held at the Border.
‘A bold call to action, a passionate plea for justice, a discerning document of wise witness, Transformative Schooling tells the inspirational story of an inner city school district that resists the ravages and legacy of institutional racism and begins to reimagine and construct an educational community based on trust, respect, and accountability among all the stakeholders, paving the way for student empowerment and achievement. Educators will find compelling insights, challenging truths, practical lessons, and reasons for hope in this work.’
—Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot, Emily Hargroves Fisher, Professor of Education, Harvard University, Author of The Good High School, I’ve Known Rivers, and Respect
‘This book reminds us that we must fight for and demand ecosystems of racial justice during these heightened times of white supremacy, xenophobia, and racism. A vividly powerful, multi-layered analysis of people, places, policies, and practices of hope and resistance, this book is a must read for anyone interested in and committed to challenging normative structures that perpetuate the status quo.’
—H. Richard Milner IV, Helen Faison Professor of Urban Education, University of Pittsburgh, Author of Rac(e)ing to Class, Handbook of Urban Education, and Start Where You Are, But Don’t Stay There
'Transformative Schooling' is that all-too-rare example and substance needed in education: analysis intertwined with context. Throughout this person-ful and human-filled narrative, Watson lifts up and maintains the entangled complexities of white supremacy, masculinity, Black empowerment, and education as a practice of freedom. With a straightforward transparency about her own learning and priorities, Watson paints a rich portrait of the complicated and multi-faceted work of reconnecting a community with its own sovereign power.
—Leigh Patel, Professor, University of California at Riverside, Author of Decolonizing Educational Research and Youth Held at the Border.
ISBN: 9781138106987
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: 408g
170 pages