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Desegregating Ourselves

Challenging the Biases That Perpetuate Inequities in Our Schools

By: Edward Fergus

This groundbreaking book examines the root causes of persistent disproportionality that create barriers for marginalized students, including systemic inequality, deficit thinking, and poverty disciplining.

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Product Details

Grade Level: PreK-12
ISBN: 9781071888872
Published By: Corwin
Year: 2024
Page Count: 176
Publication date: May 20, 2024

Price: $34.95

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Description

Challenge the biases and beliefs at the root of disproportionality

Although the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education recognized the detrimental effects of racist ideology in American education, disproportionality and inequality persist in our schools. Desegregating Ourselves offers educators a framework for examining and disrupting the deficit-based biases and belief systems that undergird our education system and continue to harm minoritized students. This groundbreaking book examines the root causes of persistent disproportionality, including systemic inequality, color blindness, deficit thinking, and poverty disciplining–all of which create barriers to success for marginalized students. Features include:

An in-depth survey of race and racism in the American education system, its laws, and its policies, all of which perpetuate systemic inequality and harmful stereotypes
A practical framework for developing cross-cultural skills and dispositions that challenge our biases and promote educational equity
Concrete strategies for interrupting and replacing deficit-based thinking and prejudices
Powerful reflections based on survey data from over 4,000 educators, which vividly illustrate how our beliefs manifest in schools and in our treatment of students

Desegregating Ourselves is a critical guide for educators brave enough to address disproportionality by confronting the biases and belief systems that impact marginalized students. By learning to cultivate cross-cultural skills and dispositions, educators can realize the vision of educational equity for all students.

Author(s)

Edward Fergus

Dr. Edward (Eddie) Fergus is Professor of Urban Education in the School of Arts and Sciences at Rutgers University – Newark. Prior to joining Rutgers University – Newark, Dr. Fergus was Associate Professor of Urban Education and Policy at Temple University (2017-2022) and Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy at New York University (2013-2017), and Deputy Director of the Metropolitan Center for Urban Education at New York University (2004-2013). As a former high school social studies teacher, program evaluator, and community school program director, Dr. Fergus is continuously approaching research with an attention to its application within educational settings. Dr. Fergus’ work is on the intersection of educational policy and outcomes with a specific focus on Black and Latino boys’ academic and social engagement outcomes, disproportionality in special education and suspensions, and school climate conditions. He has published more than four dozen articles, book chapters, evaluation reports, and five books including Skin Color and Identity Formation: Perceptions of Opportunity and Academic Orientation among Mexican and Puerto Rican Youth (Routledge Press, 2004), co-editor of Invisible No More: Disenfranchisement of Latino Men and Boys (Routledge Press, 2011), co-author of Schooling For Resilience: Improving Trajectory of Black and Latino Boys (Harvard Education Press, 2014), author of Solving Disproportionality and Achieving Equity (Corwin Press, 2016), co-editor of forthcoming book Boyhood and Masculinity Construction in the US (Routledge Press, forthcoming). Fergus has worked with over 120 school districts since 2004 on educational equity and school reform, specifically addressing disproportionality in special education and suspension. Fergus partners with state education departments and serves on various boards such as NY State Governor’s Juvenile Justice Advisory Group (2010-present), appointed in 2011 to the Yonkers Public Schools Board of Education (2011-2013 and 2019-2021), National Center on Learning Disabilities (2020-present), and is an expert consultant for the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division on Educational Opportunities (2014-2016), New York State Attorney General’s Office (2022), and NAACP Legal Defense Fund (2018).

Dr. Fergus received a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Secondary Education – Broad Field Social Studies from Beloit College and a doctorate in Educational Policy and Social Foundations from the University of Michigan.

Table of Contents

Dedication

Acknowledgements

Introduction

About the Author

Chapter 1: History and Background of Whiteness Used to Create Ethno-Racial Segregation

Chapter 2: The Fear of Losing the Standard: From 20th Century Desegregation to 21st Century Anti-Integration Movement

Chapter 3: Colorblindness Belief: Ignoring Race as a Strategy for Maintaining Social Desirability

Chapter 4: Deficit Thinking and Poverty Disciplining: Our Societal Fixation on Poverty

Chapter 5: Interrupting Bias-based Beliefs Built on Whiteness

Appendix 1: Reflecting on our Whiteness Exposure

Appendix 2: Shopping Cart List of Experiences: Everyday Colorblindness and Evasiveness

Appendix 3: Colorblindness Reflection Activity

Appendix 4: Shopping Cart List of Experiences: Everyday Deficit Thinking and Poverty Disciplining

Appendix 5: Deficit Thinking and Poverty Disciplining Reflection Activity

Appendix 6: Exploring our Current Cross-Cultural Lives, Skills, and Competencies

Appendix 7: Additional Cross-Cultural Activities

Appendix 8: Professional Development Template for Equity Belief Work (Leadership Tool)

Reviews

“Dr. Edward Fergus is one of the nation's leading experts on racial disparities in education. For years he has not only identified patterns and causes of the problem but also helped schools to ameliorate these through thoughtful interventions. In this new book he expands his work in new directions challenging his readers to think deeply about how they may be implicated in the production of unequal treatment in our schools. For those who seek to be part of the solution, this book will be an invaluable resource.”

Dr. Pedro Noguera, Dean
Rossier School of Education

"In these trying times, educators are needing a book to guide the cultural repair they need to do of themselves as they work with students. Fergus once again gives educators the tools to work on unpacking and replacing the racial bias they bring to schools in order to meet our students where they are and give them a high quality education that celebrates differences, engages learners and leads to high levels of student achievement."

Dr. Meisha Porter, President and CEO
Bronx Community Foundation

Other Titles in: Race, Ethnicity & Class | Social Justice | Cultural Competence

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Related Resources

Access to companion resources is available with the purchase of this book.
Understand the Causes of Disproportionality in Schools [Book excerpt]