"Black students are overrepresented in nine of 13 disability categories and
are more likely than their White peers to be placed in highly restrictive
(exclusionary) educational settings."

http://mdestream.mde.k12.ms.us/sped/ToolKit/Articles/Cultural_Diversity/Fer...

In order for children to succeed, schools need to work together with families to support learning, and when they do that children tend to succeed not just in school, but in life. “In fact, the most accurate predictor of a student’s achievement in school is not income or social
status, but the extent to which that student’s family is able to:
1. Create a home environment that encourages learning;
2. Express high (but not unrealistic) expectations for their children’s achievement and future careers; and
3. Become involved in their children’s education at school and in the community. “ (Foxworth 2000)

Most families want what’s best for their children regardless of their race, ethnicity, culture, or income. However that success does not look the same for every family. Studies show that there are barriers to involving minority and low-income families in their children’s schools. Schools need to work to overcome these barriers. Some intervention strategies appear to be helpful in encouraging student success. “American Council on Education research shows that students with involved parents, no matter what their income or background, are more likely to earn higher grades and test scores, attend school regularly, have better social skills, show improved behavior and adapt well to school and graduate and go on to post-secondary education.” (Foxworth 2000)

“In the United States, race--perhaps more than any other sociocultural factor--is the most challenging and complex to understand.” (Brown, K. and Brown, A. 2011) Race plays a huge and powerful role in the U.S., but isn’t always acknowledged. Race is most definitely complicated and an extremely fragile and controversial topic to discuss. It is sometimes not addressed in schools, but it concerns all students, especially African American students. The curriculum limits what is historically discussed relating to this culture. Teachers are encouraged to implement certain practices to help students understand these important ideas and perspectives about race and racism.

Brown, Keffrelyn D.; Brown, Anthony L. 2011.Teaching K-8 Students about Race: African Americans, Racism, and the Struggle for Social Justice in the U.S. Multicultural Education, v19 n1 p9-13. 5 pp.

Achievement Gap: persistent disparity of standardized test scores, grade point average, dropout rates, and college enrollment and completion rates between different groups of students defined by socioeconomic status, race or ethnicity and gender. In-school factors and home/community factors impact the academic achievement of students and contribute to the gap.

Culture does in fact influence a student’s success and how a student interacts with his peers and teachers. Communication is affected and can be very difficult when a student is from another culture or country.

A few things that can be done to build relationships is to honor families’ hopes and concerns for their children. We can show them respect for their customs and cultures. There are both commonalities and differences among all students and families. School staff should be trained and supported to learn to work well with families. Schools should work to provide support to help immigrant families understand how our schools function and what is expected of families and students. Reaching out should be a priority.

Freire felt passionately that education should work to establish a world where it is easier to love. He said that he could not think of being an educator without love, and felt that was why he was an educator, because he felt so much love for people.

Teachers must be willing to take the extra steps necessary to make it possible for families to get involved at school and at home. Families must be made to feel welcome, accepted, and appreciated to build relationships and trust. This building of relationships and trust takes time.

Freire believed in helping students develop a consciousness of freedom in themselves and to recognize when there are authoritarian influences and tendencies existing. He believed in connecting knowledge to power and the ability to take meaningful action. He taught a critical way of thinking in one’s self and learning to work with different students.

Freire talked about an education movement led by passion and principle.

Freire said that he could not think of being an educator without love, and felt that was why he was an educator, because he felt so much love for people.

Freire taught that education should be critical thinking and dialogue with history to imagine a future that is different than the present. He stated that every relationship was unfinished and meant to be more. He always added a utopian effect to every relationship and idea. He taught that the future is not a place that is far from us and with hope we might get there, but it is I who determine the future.

. “In the United States, race--perhaps more than any other sociocultural factor--is the most challenging and complex to understand.” (Brown, K. and Brown, A. 2011)

Brown, Keffrelyn D.; Brown, Anthony L. 2011.Teaching K-8 Students about Race: African Americans, Racism, and the Struggle for Social Justice in the U.S. Multicultural Education, v19 n1 p9-13. 5 pp.

"Overt racially segregating schooling practices have given
way to largely under-acknowledged and more covert forms of racial segregation, including some special-education practices. Since the inception of
special education, the discourses of racism and ableism have bled into one
another, permitting forms of racial segregation under the guise of ‘disability'."

http://mdestream.mde.k12.ms.us/sped/ToolKit/Articles/Cultural_Diversity/Fer...

"Examining these discourses of exclusion simultaneously
highlights how deeply racialized notions of ability are entrenched in our
culture so much so that segregation of ‘the disabled’ has also meant
segregating students of color."

http://mdestream.mde.k12.ms.us/sped/ToolKit/Articles/Cultural_Diversity/Fer...

Labeling is required for inclusion in special education. Current law states to receive special education services, a child must be identified as having a disability, labeled, and in most cases, must be further classified into one of the state’s categories, such as mental retardation or learning disabilities. A student becomes eligible for special education and services because of being labeled in a given category. IDEA allows children to be identified as developmentally delayed and receive special education services without the specific disability label.

"Disability has become a more socially accepted, even normalized, category of marginalization for
students of color."

http://mdestream.mde.k12.ms.us/sped/ToolKit/Articles/Cultural_Diversity/Fer...