Raza Youth in Urban Schools: Mis-educating Chicana/o/x and Latina/o/x Communities

This course focuses on the experiences of Chicana/o/x and Latina/o/x youth in U.S. public schools. We will connect historical patterns with contemporary issues in some of this nations largest urban school districts in order to uncover the ways in which urban schools both reflect and reproduce structural inequalities that marginalize Chicana/o/x and Latina/o/x youth. As we consider the origins and persistence of educational inequalities in relation to longstanding forms of violence, domination, and subordination, we will also highlight histories of activism and resistance, including organized struggles for educational justice in Chicana/o/x and Latina/o/x communities. Issues to be addressed include school (de)segregation, standardized testing, educational tracking, unequal opportunities to learn, deficit perspectives, bilingualism and bilingual education, immigration and undocumented students, ethnic studies curricula, and culturally relevant/responsive/sustaining approaches to pedagogy. This course will invite students to visit and observe in urban school settings, interview key stakeholders (students, parents, teachers, and/or policy makers), and reflect on their own K-12 schooling experiences in relation to course themes.