Overlooked and underserved: How inclusive education oversights exclude Black students

Abstract

Empirical research about equity in schools seldom investigates how the intersectionality of race and disability shapes Canadian educational trajectories. This article shows how disability-related school procedures impede Black students' learning opportunities. The theory of racialized organizations posits that institutions such as schools reproduce societal racial hierarchies through seemingly race-neutral processes. Using an intersectional lens and the theory of racialized organizations, this article presents the findings of a qualitative study focusing on Black students' experiences. The analysis is drawn from interviews and focus groups conducted with 60 participants in Nova Scotia, Canada between 2018 and 2019. Participants' narratives revealed that school professionals could better support Black students by ending the misapplication of Individual Program Plans (IPPs) and addressing Black learners' learning disabilities and mental health needs through collaborative alliances with caregivers. This article shows that tighter coupling between anti-racist and inclusive education policies and disability-related procedures is needed to achieve equitable access to education.