Overcoming Negative School Experiences of African American Adolescents: What School Counselors Can Do To Eradicate Ethnocentrism in the Schools

Overcoming Negative School Experiences of African American Adolescents: What School

Counselors Can Do To Eradicate Ethnocentrism in the Schools

Dana Griffin

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Julia Bryan

University of Maryland at College Park

Citation:

Griffin, D., & Bryan, J. (2010). Overcoming negative school experiences of African American

adolescents: What school counselors can do to eradicate ethnocentrism in the schools. In

J. L. DeVitis & L. Irwin-DeVitis (Eds.). Adolescent Education: A Reader. New York:

Peter Lang.

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Overcoming Negative School Experiences of African American Adolescents: What School

Counselors Can Do To Eradicate Ethnocentrism in the Schools

By 2020, the majority of the U.S. public school population will be classified as children

of color (National Center for Education Statistics, 2006). This statistic is of grave importance

because, nationwide, schools continue to face a persistent White-minority achievement gap and

disproportionately high rates of suspension, expulsion, and referral to special education for

children of color (Harry & Anderson, 1994; Monroe, 2005; Patton, 1998; Skiba, Peterson, &

Williams, 1997). Just as alarming, is the fact that Black, Hispanic, and American Indian students

are less like to pursue postsecondary education than White and Asian American Students (NCES,

2007). These data are alarming as school failure is related to poor social, economic, and health

concerns. Students who fail out, drop out of school, or do not go onto postsecondary education

are more likely to live below the poverty level, be incarcerated, or experience poor health

(Bridgeland, Dilulio, & Morrison, 2006; Day-Vines & Day-Hairston, 2005; Stallings, 2007).

Furthermore, the US cannot retain economic viability among its global competitors if large

numbers of its children continue to leave school ill-prepared for the world of work.

While the US student body is becoming increasingly diverse, the teaching body is

increasingly White and middle class (NCES, 2006). Some researchers point to the differences

between White-minority worldviews, cultural lens, communication styles, and socio-cultural-

political experiences as major reasons for the negative school experiences and outcomes of

students of color (i.e., Gay, 2000; Monroe, 2005; Nieto, 2000). These differences result in

assumptions, communication gaps, misunderstandings, and decisions that may negatively impact

students. Indeed, the phenomenon of having a positive bias towards one’s own group and a

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negative bias towards other groups, known as ethnocentrism, leads individuals to perceive their

own cultural values and worldviews as more legitimate than those in other cultures (Dana, 1998;

Taylor & Jaggi, 1974; Vitaliti, 1998). Those with ethnocentric viewpoints tend to view their

own culture as the standard to which to measure all other cultures. This can be extremely

damaging, especially to children of color, whose ethnic and cultural values and customs are often

incongruent with mainstream America. To help facilitate positive school experiences and

promote student academic achievement for American students, we present steps that school

counselors can take to eradicate ethnocentrism in the school. We open with a discussion of

African American experiences in American society, followed by an overview of the

disproportionality that occurs in the schools. We then describe three culture conflicts that occur

in the school that lead to negative school experiences for African American students. Finally, we

present steps school counselors can take to address these conflicts, which in turn, can help

eradicate ethnocentrism.

African American Experiences in American Society

Numerous incidents in American history suggest that African Americans have divergent

worldviews and outlooks from Whites. One recent social incident that has dominated national

news highlights the cultural misunderstandings that arise as a result of these divergent

worldviews. For example, take the Dr. Henry Gates incident that occurred in July 2009 (Jan,

2009). The online edition of the reporting of this incident shows 2180 responses to the

newspaper article. Comments range from support of Gates and cries of racism and racial

profiling to support of the police officer. There have been comments from African Americans

believing that Dr. Gates was being unjustly profiled because of his race, as well as from Whites

feeling that he should have acted differently towards the police. A highly publicized photograph

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of Dr. Gates, handcuffed, and being escorted from his home by the police demonstrates how

worldviews view the actions that took place that day. Some Americans say that he was angry,

combative, and aggressive, while others say he was just upset at the injustice of the entire

incident and had a right to voice his opinion. Indeed, a multitude of recent situations such as

these where past experiences lead African Americans to conclude that negative treatment

occurred because of skin color, has occurred (e.g., Hurricane Katrina, Jena 6).

Historically, African American experiences in this country have been negative (i.e.,

slavery, Jim Crow, lynching, segregation) and these experiences do influence perceptions of

present day happenings. Indeed, African Americans’ past experiences of slavery, discrimination,

and inequities perpetuated by government institutions, and present experiences of being

stigmatized, will, more often than not, cause them to interpret events as race-related, whereas

those of the dominant culture often tend to see these experiences as occurring solely because of

African Americans’ behavior, exclusive of their race. Indisputably, one’s experiences and

worldviews influence the interpretations of events and behaviors, and given the socio-political

dynamics of US society and schools, the validity of that viewpoint will be determined by the

dominant worldview (Wilson, 2005). Lack of understanding of cultural differences and the

tendency to see behavior and actions through a dominant perspective can lead to discriminatory

behavior (Vitaliti, 1998), which is often displayed in disproportionality in the U.S. school system.

Disproportionality in US Schools

In addition to being plagued with low academic achievement, high dropout rates, and low

college application and college graduation rates (Ball, 2009), African American students are

often subjected to disproportionate high numbers in discipline referrals, suspensions and

expulsions, counseling referrals, special education placement, and disproportionate low numbers

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in gifted placement and placement in college preparation classes such as Advanced Placement

(AP) classes (Day-Vines & Day-Hairston, 2005; Patton, 1998). One reason given for

disproportionality is a cultural disconnect between the students and their teachers (Ball, 2009;

Gregory & Mosely, 2004; Monroe, 2005).

A huge body of research points to the fact that minority students are disproportionately

referred for suspensions, disciplined for minor offenses, and referred to special education classes

over their White counterparts. This is distressing as suspensions from school have been linked to

higher school drop-out, retention, and academic failure (Nichols, Ludwin, & Iadicola, 1999).

Hosp and Reschly (2003) synthesized the results of numerous studies on referral rates. Choosing

quantitative studies conducted in the United States after 1975 that explored differences across

racial groups and school levels (elementary, middle, and high), they found 10 studies meeting the

criteria which indicated that discipline referral rates for African Americans and Hispanics were

greater than those for Caucasian students.

In a study analyzing the patterns of suspension in West Central Florida, Mendez & Knoff

(2003) found that more males were suspended than females and Black students were found to be

suspended most across all three school levels combined. Additionally, Black females were

found to be suspended more than White and Hispanic males in all three school levels combined.

Furthermore, almost half of Black males and a third of Black females were suspended at least

once in a district consisting of only 13% Black students.

In their study on disproportionality, Skiba, Michael, Nardo, & Peterson (2002) found that

although White students were referred for discipline issues, they were referred for harsher

offenses such as smoking and vandalism, while Black students were referred for minor offenses

such as disrespect and excessive noise. They also found African American students were

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referred at higher numbers than any other racial group. They studied the entire middle school

population from a large school system with 56% African American students, 42% White students,

and 1.2% Latino students. There were 51.8% male students and 48.2% female students.

Through analyzing the school system’s referral database, African Americans were found to

receive higher number of referrals than any other ethnic background except Native Americans.

Results also showed that the most common reasons for referral were minor offenses, such as lack

of cooperation, insubordination, and inappropriate language.

Raffale-Mendez, Knoff, and Ferron (2002) conducted a study on out of school suspension

rates. Results showed that middle school students had higher rates of out of school suspensions,

followed by high school students, and elementary students. Additionally, they found that males

accounted for over 70% of all suspensions, and Black males and females were suspended more

frequently than other groups. White students were suspended the least. Disobedience was found

to be the main reason students were suspended, followed by disruptive behavior and fighting,

inappropriate behaviors and non-compliance with assigned discipline.

In addition to race and gender, differences in suspension referrals have also been found

along socioeconomic lines (Skiba et al., 2002). Brantlinger (1991) found that teachers would not

only refer students of low SES for suspensions, but also deliver harsher penalties, such as being

sent out of the classroom, to students of low SES, while students of high SES would receive

milder punishments, such as seat reassignment. Additionally, studies have shown that students

receiving free and reduced lunch were more likely to receive disciplinary referrals (Wu et al.,

1982; Skiba, Peterson, & Williams, 1997).

Yet another factor that seems to be related to the disproportionality on referrals is teacher

perception. Rong (1996) asserts that teachers’ perceptions of appropriate behaviors are

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culturally defined, and Mehan, Hertwecki, & Miehls (1986) found that teacher perceptions of

students were a precursor of their referrals for discipline. Gregory and Mosely (2004) conducted

a qualitative study in an urban high school with 3300 students. There was an even number of

African American and White students at 37% each. The remaining population consisted of 11%

Latino students, 9% Asian Students, 1% Filipino students, and .5% American Indian students.

Although there was an even number of African American and White students, the teaching staff

only had 15% African American teachers, while there were 73% White teachers, 4% Asian

teachers, and 6% Latino teachers. They found that teachers reported not considering issues of

race in their disciplinary referrals, or as a factor in discipline. However, Gregory & Mosely

(2004) assert that race was a factor in the way teachers discipline or refer students.

Negative labels have been shown to be a major factor in why minority students, and

Black males in particular, are disproportionately referred, not only for discipline, but for special

education placement. In addition to discipline referrals, African American students are

disproportionately referred for special education placement. “African American males have been

disproportionately represented in special education since its inception” (Harry & Anderson, 1994,

p. 603). Teacher perception has been linked to the high number of students referred for special

education. It has been documented in the literature that White women have a fear of the African

American male (Harry & Anderson.). Additionally, African American patterns of language and

behavior can all be factors of teachers’ negative perceptions of Black males (Harry & Anderson.).

This trend is distressing as student misbehavior is the most common reason teachers refer

students to special education (Giesbrecht & Routh, 1979; Hutton, 1985). Teacher perception for

those in low SES environments has also been labeled as problematic, as Ortiz and Yates (1984)

assert that teachers may lower their expectations for students from poverty stricken environments.

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Patton (1998) asserts that it is a serious problem that large numbers of African American

students are inappropriately labeled and placed in special education programs. In a review of

literature, it is noted that this trend has not changed since 1975, when 38% of the African

American population was identified as mentally disabled, to now representing 35% of the special

education population (Patton.; Harry & Anderson.). One reason for this trend could be in how

schools define “normal” behavior, which may not include the behaviors of African American

students.

What is Normal Behavior?

It is no secret that African Americans, as a group, are often misdiagnosed with severe

psychopathological disorders (Solomon, 1992). As one progresses to pre-adolescence and

adolescent age, the behavior can already be characterized by moodiness, aggressiveness, and

defiance, which can be viewed in a more negative light for African American adolescents.

Although normal adolescent issues that arise during the adolescent stage includes a search for

identity that is often characterized by a need to redefine authority as they struggle with

adolescent demands and deal with issues of sexuality and revision of rules and roles (Hines,

Preto, McGoldrick, Almeida, & Weltman, 1999), the African American search for identity also

means searching for what it means to be Black (Tatum, 1997). As they are frequently confronted

with negative stereotypes of Blackness-Black beauty, Black culture, black lifestyle, this quest for

an identity can be even more difficult for African American adolescents. African American

youth in our society are also challenged by sociocultural factors such as racial discrimination,

institutionalized racism, and oppression, and community factors such as poverty, violence, crime,

and drugs (Bemak, Chung, & Siroskey-Sabdo, 2005; Bryan, 2005; Locke, 2005; Shorr, 1997).

Furthermore, African American adolescents are vulnerable to media exploitation. Their values

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and beliefs about life, their views about gender relationships, the way they dress, talk and walk

are all influenced by what they see on TV and in films and by the music they hear (Nasir,

McLaughlin, & Jones, 2009; Walsh, 2003).

Defining normalcy is a difficult and highly judgmental process. Walsh (2003) studied

normalcy with family therapists and results showed that what is seen as healthy and normal

varied due to the theoretical model to which they adhered. However, results also showed that the

therapist’s own beliefs and cultural background played a huge part in how they assessed

normalcy because they brought their own beliefs about stereotypes and myths when working

with families and in deciding what is normal and what is not normal. The worldview of African

Americans is often pathologized by White Americans (Sue, 1994). For example, White

Americans in dominant society may contradict African Americans for voicing their sense of

being discriminated against, dismiss that viewpoint as invalid, and point to equal access and

opportunity for success for everyone in the United States. For example, African American

students who say that the teacher does not like them or grades them more harshly because they

are Black, will more likely be told that they are imagining the treatment and that the teacher is

not racist, as opposed to investigating their claim.

Just as therapists may have their own beliefs of normalcy that reflect their own values

and beliefs, school staff may also hold ethnocentric viewpoints on normal behavior. In using an

ethnocentric viewpoint, schools staff may overpathologize students and families by identifying

what is a normal pattern of behavior for students and their families as dysfunctional or abnormal

(Walsh, 2003). There are many teachers who expect all students to perform and behave at a

certain level, but they do not take into account the child’s background. Black males most often

receive the negative effects of ethnocentrism. Teachers and therapists often become intimidated

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by African-American males and begin to label them as aggressive, hyperactive and failures as

early as the fourth grade (Walsh.). School personnel must be knowledgeable about different

ethnic and cultural groups and they must be aware of how their own worldview may conflict

with the worldview of others, especially when defining normal and abnormal behavior. For

example, in a review of literature, Irvin & York (1995) found that the culturally based traits and

valued forms of nonverbal expressions of African Americans are physical movement, animation,

spontaneity, and displays of emotions. Although African American males may display these

behaviors in the home, this behavior may be seen as aggressive or disrespectful in the schools.

School personnel must continue to question themselves and ask how their beliefs are culturally

based and be sure that they are not misinterpreting student behaviors that are incongruent with

their expectations (Monroe, 2005). However, it has been found that teachers who are assigned to

work in diverse, urban environments feel unprepared to teach the diverse students and interact

with their parents, and have a general sense of low self-efficacy in working in the environment

(Duhon & Manson, 2000; Hollins & Torres-Guzman, 2005). It is vital that those working in the

schools have a deep understanding of the different cultural values and norms of their student

population. We want to assert that all races can have an ethnocentric viewpoint, not just Whites.

African American teachers can also be punitive of African American adolescent behavior and

speech, and label them as having abnormal behavior. Although, there are many cultural

differences that occur in the school, we assert the differences that can be most detrimental to

African American adolescents, especially those in middle school, are parenting practices,

communication styles, and ethnic identity development.

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Culture Conflict #1: Parenting Practices

The African American practice of parenting is often misunderstood by school personnel,

especially when it comes to discipline. Although many African American families use discipline

known as ‘spare the rod, spoil the child’, schools often misunderstand that this practices of

spanking, or “whipping”, is rooted in feelings of love and concern for their children’s well-being

(Walsh, 2003). While this form of discipline may be used in some African American families,

the schools often see this as a form of child abuse, although the families may view it as a normal

family value (Walsh.). Viewing spanking as discipline or abuse depends on the lens through

which we look. An African American mother said, “Whipping her son lets him know who’s

boss. If I don’t whip him, he will think he can run all over me and not listen to what I say. I got

to teach him now while he’s young, that he needs to respect me and all adults. If I don’t do it

now, he won’t listen when he gets older and may end up on the streets. This is what’s wrong

with our children today. They don’t know who’s boss. They think they grown.” (L. Williams,

personal communication, February 26, 2009). On the other hand, an European American school

counselor had a different perception of spanking: “We are aware that many parents still believe

in spanking as a form of discipline. However, there is a thin line between spanking and beating a

child, and beating a child is wrong. A spank is a swat on the behind and more appropriate for

younger kids and toddlers, not middle schoolers. We report all cases that has a mark-whether it

be by a belt, switch, hand, or any other weapon.” (C. Davis, personal communication, February

26, 2009). This is a huge problem in the school and represents a culture clash that often ends in

negative repercussions for families because their point of view and cultural values are not seen as

the norm and, more often than not, is often not taken into consideration. Generations of African

Americans have been raised with corporal punishment and some may still disagree the push

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against spanking and for the new type of punishment-“Time Outs”. Indeed, John Rosemond,

parent expert and nationally-syndicated parenting columnist, wrote in a recent issue, “If a

consequence does not produce a permanent memory—and time-out most definitely does not—

then it has been a waste of everyone’s time” (Rosemond, 2009). One African American mother

lamented that the school took away her power as a mother to raise her kids, but the then the

schools wanted her to act when her children misbehaves: “What do you want me to do? On one

hand, you tell me I can’t spank my child, but now you call me telling me my child won’t listen

and you want me to do something about it. You can’t have it both ways” (P. Jones, personal

communication, February 26, 2009).

Culture Conflict #2: Communication Styles

Many may believe that only those whose first language is not English face a language

barrier in the schools, but African Americans can also face this barrier. African Americans are at

a distinct disadvantage when it comes to conformity of their communication styles. For example,

some African Americans may exhibit a distinctive communicate style that does not conform to

the norms and expectations of school settings (Day-Vines & Day-Hairston, 2005). While

Caucasians may be accustomed to more impersonal, emotionally restrained communication

styles, the loud, intense, and confrontations styles of African American could be regarded as rude

and inappropriate in the school setting (Day-Vines & Day-Hairston.). I often find myself telling

my own children to use their inside voices when I realize that we are speaking in tones louder

than what is considered “normal”. And then more often than not, they will go into a whisper. To

them, there are only two ways to communicate: loudly or basically, not at all. When we are out

in public, I can always find my two children because they have a loud distinctive way of talking.

This way of speaking has already gotten my oldest into trouble in school, when I received a

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report from her teacher saying that she tends to be loud, and during reading group time, she can

hear her talking across the room. But is this abnormal? Not for us. Growing up in a family

where you have to speak loud to be heard, this way of speaking is completely normal, and to

speak in the more acceptable quieter tones will be a behavioral change, which is not a quick fix.

It is actually abnormal for the children in my family to be seen and not heard.

Not only is the loud way of speech, a problem, but the African American way of speaking

is in conflict with the school culture. Ebonics, the form of African American speech where

grammar is not an issue, is a normal type of speech used by African Americans and especially

African American adolescents. Add to this the popular usage of computer networking devices

such as Facebook and Twitter, and the ever popular text messaging, grammatically correct ways

of speaking is quickly going by the wayside for all adolescents (and adults as well).

Nevertheless, Ebonics seems to occur in the speech of many African American as soon as they

hit adolescence, regardless of how grammatically correct they can actually speak. It is almost as

if it is a rite of passage. But Ebonics have been around for generations. Pick up any book of

poetry written during the Harlem Renaissance, and you’ll find great poetry written in a way that

incorporates the normal African American way of speaking at that time. In any given family,

Ebonics can be a normal way of speech and some scholars argue that Ebonics should not be seen

as a detriment to the African American community, but more as an understanding of a way of

speech (Kretzschmar, Jr., 2008), while others feel that it keeps African Americans from being

successful in school and in the workforce. Again, this argument is all based on which particular

worldview to which you subscribe. Outside of that argument, the fact is that African American

adolescents speak Ebonics, and those who use it frequently in the school are often seen as less

smart and less capable of those who use correct grammar. Just as with English as a second

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language speakers, African Americans are taught they must learn the “proper” way to speak and

write English (Kretzschmar Jr.,), which, more often, than not, goes again their cultural norms.

Culture Conflict #3: Racial Identity Development

Another culture conflict that occurs in the school deals with the effects of racial identity

development. The African American culture takes pride in their music, hairstyles, clothing, and

talk. To not understand this pride is to not understand African Americans. This lack of

understanding invokes fear in others, especially the fear of the African-American male.

Understanding the role of ethnic identity should be pivotal in helping school staff understand

what is normal behavior for African American adolescents.

Schools should begin to view the development of African American adolescents through

a racial identity development framework as a way to understand their behaviors (Tatum, 1997).

As African American youth reach adolescence and begin to explore their identity, they must

often grapple with the messages received from society about what it means to be Black, which

often means trying to grapple with being a member of a group targeted by racism (Tatum). For

example, African American youth in the encounter stage (an event causing the person to

recognize the significance of race and see the personal impact of racism), may develop an

oppositional identity. This occurs when one seeks out racially homogenous peer support groups

to maintain positive self-esteem, while keeping the dominant group at a distance, and it is often

within this phase that academic performance declines, especially if the support group does not

value academic achievement (Day-Vines & Day-Hairston, 2005; Tatum, 1997). Examples of

adolescents in this stage is when they begin to “segregate” themselves from others, and may

often see the world through an ethnocentric viewpoint themselves and begin to see every other

culture as inferior to theirs. This is a pivotal moment to increase parental involvement. Indeed, a

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study with urban high achieving African American students found that parents who work to

combat racism and discrimination experienced by their children through promoting positive

racial socialization helped promote the academic success of their children (Sanders, 1997). The

literature on ethnic identity development is intensive and we highly recommend Beverly Tatum’s

Why Are all the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria as an excellent book for

understanding ethnic identity development in African American adolescents.

However, the research is conflicted about the role of identity development and academic

success. Some researchers assert that high identity development is linked with low academic

achievement (e.g., Fordham & Ogbu, 1986; Noguera, 2003), while others says that having a

strong African American identity is a protective factor for education (Oyserman, Harrison, &

Bybee, 2001), and has been shown to have higher academic achievement (Spencer, Noll, Stolfus,

& Harpalani, 2001). Regardless of the conflict, high level of ethnic identity has been associated

with positive psychosocial adjustment and positive feelings about oneself (Schwartz, Zamboanga,

& Jarvis, 2007), and among college students, high ethnic identity has been correlated with high

grade point average (Sellers, Chavous, & Cooke, 1998).

The school system plays a huge role in the ethnic identity development of African

American adolescents (Shelton & Sellers, 2000). Schools can either foster ethnic identity

development in the form of high expectations and a open line of communication and information

sharing about college and other support (Mehan, Villanueva, Hubbard, & Lintz, 2004), or they

can create barriers to ethnic identity development through such tactics as academic tracking, low

and negative expectations, and racial discriminatory practices (Davidson, 1996).

We mentioned three culture conflicts that often occur in the schools for adolescents,

especially when viewing their cultural norms through an ethnocentric viewpoint. We believe

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that school counselors can help school staff understand how to work more effectively with

African American adolescents. Due to the nature of their profession, school counselors can play

a huge role in fostering change in the school system. The multicultural training received by

school counseling professionals enables them to address the needs of their student population, as

well as help school staff offer effective, culturally responsive services to their students. Because

school counselors are trained in understanding biases and barriers to school success, we present a

list of four things that school counselors can to do take the steps towards eradicating the

ethnocentrism that is prevalent in the schools.

Steps Towards Eradicating Ethnocentrism

1. Develop cultural awareness and knowledge.

Ethnocentric free schools must first begin with individual cultural awareness and

knowledge. School counselors can be proactive in helping the school staff develop cultural

awareness and knowledge of the students with whom they work, as they have the multicultural

training and knowledge that can enable them to be proactive in facilitating culturally responsive

collaboration in their schools (Amatea & West-Olantunji, 2007). School counselors can help

schools overcome a lack of cultural awareness and knowledge by helping the school develop a

climate that is welcoming and open to all students, as well as accepting of different cultural

norms. In order to this, school counselors can present workshops on cultural awareness and

knowledge, and help staff obtain cultural knowledge not only about the students and families

with whom they work, but also about themselves (Bradley, Johnson, Rawls, & Dodson-Sims,

2005).

2. Establish Trust with Students

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The first step in establishing a trusting relationship is gaining an understanding and

acceptance of the cultural norms and values of African Americans, and working with African

American students through an accurate perspective of the African American life (Bradley,

Johnson, Rawls, & Dodson-Sims, 2005). Therefore, school counselors must not be afraid to

challenge existing school rules and policies that negatively affect students from diverse

backgrounds and advocate for new policies and procedures that are more advantageous for those

from minority populations. Some other things school counselors could do to facilitate a trusting

relationship is to establish rapport with students before problems arise and develop groups that

allow African American adolescents to discuss their socioemotional and educational concerns

regarding experiences inside and outside of the school, such as college and career planning, what

it is like for them to be an African American in the school, their hopes and dreams, and

aspirations for the future.

3. Develop an understanding of African American communication styles.

School counselors can help school staff understand the many different nuances of

communication styles as well as help students learn how to best communicate in the schools

(Day-Vines & Day-Hairston, 2005). Additionally, school counselors can play a critical role in

facilitating better communication between home and the school. As personalized

communication humanizes the school environment for students, it is crucial for counselors to

make use of all communication channels. School counselors can begin to bridge the

communication gap between schools and students by overcoming their fear of talking to and

working directly with African American students and they should commit to engaging with

African American students on a regular basis. Also, school counselors should function as the

learner in this situation. Just as one would ask what BFF (Best Friends Forever) means, one

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should also ask for clarification and understanding of communication patterns among African

American students. The more often one practices such interaction habits, the easier it will

become.

4. Advocate for new practices reflecting a new definition of “normalcy”

School counselors can be proactive in facilitating this process by conducting workshops

with school staff using open discussions regarding cultural lens and worldview, cultural

stereotypes and biases, and cultural communication styles. The workshop should include case

studies, facilitation exercises, and reflections that integrate the following questions:

1) How do you define normal African American adolescent behavior?

2) Which worldview are you using to answer that question?

3) How does your viewpoint disadvantage the students with whom you work?

4) What can you advocate for and change about yourself and in the school to ensure

that African American students are not disadvantaged and have equitable access to

academic success?

Summary

As achievement and discipline gaps continue to remain between African American

students and White students, ethnocentrism is a phenomenon that needs to be addressed in order

to truly have equitable practices in our schools. We present a way that school counselors can

help facilitate change in the school system and hopefully move towards a more culturally

responsive approach to working with African American adolescents. Schools and school staff

have an ethical obligation to provide equitable and accessible education to all children,

regardless of race, SES, and other cultural variables. However, barriers still exist that prevents

African Americans and other children of color from succeeding at the same rate as their White

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counterparts. We propose that working through an ethnocentric viewpoint actually perpetuates

the gap that exists, and having more culturally responsive approaches to working with diverse

youth is just one way that school counselors can help facilitate the systemic change that needs to

occur in the schools in order to do away with the ethnocentric practices that impedes access to an

equitable education for African American students.

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