Cross-Racial Interactions in Schools 65 Years After Brown

ABSTRACT

Race has been a central thread in the American fabric since the country’s inception, and relationships among racial groups, particularly between Whites and African Americans, have been strained due to the nation’s historic founding. Larger, societal tensions around race likely manifest in schools and threaten to impede the premise and promise of the Brown v. Board of Education landmark decision. As such, this article provides a conceptual understanding of the role schools play in cultivating constructive cross-racial interactions, which may help to assuage extant racial tensions. Specifically, it examines how school leaders and teachers can support the racial climates of their schools by adopting policies and practices that exude a respect for diversity, facilitate constructive cross-race interactions among students, and reflect a commitment to equity.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sheneka M. Williams

Sheneka M. Williams is associate professor in the Department of Educational Administration and Policy at the University of Georgia. Her research examines educational opportunity by way of student assignment, school governance, and rural education.

Jerome Graham

Jerome Graham is a doctoral candidate in the Program of Educational Administration and Policy at the University of Georgia.