Chapter 8: Combating Racism and Educational Violence in Higher Education

As mentioned by Gassaway (2017) there is no nation that is perfect, and the United States falls short of this mark in far too many fields. The constant rollercoaster of educational policies and subpar efforts toward change merely mask the racial educational divide (Gassaway, 2017). As Shankar-Brown (2015) notes, “Unfortunately, as a result of biased school structure, the cultural differences of Black and Latino students and class differences of low-income students put already marginalized students at an educational disadvantage” (p. 40). Further, the refusal to create equitable balance in higher education spaces negatively impacts Black students (Engram, 2019). As indicated by Marcus (2015) the resistance toward inclusive learning lies within the faculty. If anyone believes that the curriculum at institutions are for the students, they are sadly mistaken (Marcus, 2015). When Black students are subjected to persistent discriminatory behavior in and out of the classroom, often it creates a movement toward resistance. An activist group at the University of Missouri, known as Concerned Student 1950, rallied protesters toward fighting to end racial hostility at their institution (Davis & Ferguson, 2019). In an act of defiance to bring attention toward harsh realities of racism at Mizzou, student activist Jonathan Butler initiated a week long hunger strike (Davis & Ferguson, 2019). Constant occurences of institutional and systemic racism can cause Black students to often go to extremes to have their voices heard (Engram, 2019). According to Obas (2016) in order for Black students to be academically successful they must surround themselves with success. However, if the majority of White institutions of higher education refuse to provide equity-centered and inclusive learning environments for Black students, then how will Black students thrive?