Barriers to inclusion and equity: a mother-son critical reflection and lessons learned

Abstract

This study is an exploration of DisCrit Mothering, of education, research, and activism, rooted in our radical love for our children facing barriers and injustices due to intersectional oppressions in schools. We employ critical duoethnography to discuss and analyze our experiences, understandings, and lessons learned in our mother-son educational journey through counter-storytelling of four pivotal events to counter implicit bias and majoritarian narratives. We identify patterns of racism, ableism, and exclusion in our stories and share our lessons learned. We identify the need for a better understanding of dis/ability, timely identification, a rejection of deficit-focused approaches, and student and family involvement in IEPs. We make ourselves vulnerable to share our stories, using our lessons learned to urge educators to question their perceptions of multiply-marginalized students and to focus on care and equity versus discipline.

Keywords:

• DisCrit mothering
• equity
• inclusion
• dis/ability
• counter-story
• special education

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Caroline (Cary) Torres

Caroline (Cary) Torres is an Associate Professor at Kapi’olani Community College in the University of Hawaiʻi System. She teaches a TESOL program for in-service K-12 teachers and Second Language Teaching to pre-service teachers, including a course on Supporting multilingual and English learners with disabilities through Universal Design for Learning (UDL). She has taught college, high school, and adult education in the US, and middle school and K-12 students with disabilities in Japan. Her work and research focus on supporting Multilingual/ language learners with and without disabilities, UDL, Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy, writing instruction, and digital tools. She was the Chair and a founding member of the TESOL International Supporting Students with Disabilities Interest Section.

Kai Torres

Kai Torres is pursuing a college degree with the goal of majoring in Geology. He is an avid reader and enjoys science, music, and arts & crafts.