The Toll of the Racial Status Quo

Majority-White schools in the United States have been found to produce better academic outcomes than schools with high concentrations of students of color. This paints the false image that majority-White schools are the optimal learning space when in fact Black students face many complex and subtle challenges within these school settings. Guided by critical race theory and system justification theory, this embedded case study aims to first capture the racial status quo of a majority-White high school, and subsequently explore the diverse ways Black students within that school experience the racial status quo. The results point to a cycle of racial inequity stemming from White normativity and racial unknowing. Although some students were highly critical of this, others found ways to rationalize injustices. Based on the results, suggestions are made for transforming the racial status quo of majority-White schools to ensure all students have equitable opportunities to succeed.