A note from the Co-Editors of School Psychology International

Abstract

As a whole, the field of school psychology has become increasingly attuned to its historical and contemporary role in perpetuating systemic racism, particularly anti-Black racism in the United States. Scholars have pointed to evidence of racism across all areas of school psychologists’ professional work, including their research (e.g., Grant et al., 2022), practice (e.g., Albritton et al., 2021), and training (e.g., Proctor & Truscott, 2012). One critical yet often overlooked way in which school psychologists have perpetuated racism is through the recounting of their field’s history. In particular, the centering of whiteness has resulted in the marginalization of ideas and innovations of psychologists of color, who have been instrumental in advocating for a more inclusive field since its inception. As Co-Editors of School Psychology International (SPI), we are grateful for the opportunity to publish this special issue titled, “Revisiting Albert Sidney Beckham: Contemporary Applications for Research and Practice.” In recent editorials (Noltemeyer & Grapin, 2021, 2022), we identified several interrelated goals reflecting the journal’s larger commitment to advancing social justice and equity in school psychology. One of these goals involved inviting contemporary reflections and commentaries on a classic article around social justice from SPI’s previous scholarship. In light of the significant injustices impacting Black school psychologists and Black youth, we invited Dr. Scott Graves, Associate Professor of School Psychology at the