Countering White Dominance in an Independent Elementary School: Black Parents Use Community Cultural Wealth to Navigate “Private School Speak”

This case study uses critical race theory to examine Black parents’ perceptions of their children’s academic experiences in grades K-5 at a private, secular, predominantly White school. While they appreciated the school, many parents were worried about communication related to their children’s academic performance, and to access to, and necessity for, academic tutoring. Underlying their concern was a fear about Black children being asked to leave the school. Parents drew upon community cultural wealth and adopted racial realist views to navigate these concerns. Race and class intersected in the ways parents perceived and responded to their experiences. The study reveals how the school systemically disadvantaged Black students. The authors suggest how teachers and administrators can disrupt practices that contribute to White dominance.