Constructions of Race and Equity in a Suburban School: Teachers, School Social Workers, and Other School Staff as Nepantleras and Border Crossers

Abstract

Suburban schools, particularly those with majority white histories experiencing demographic shifts, are increasingly in need of addressing issues of racial equity. This qualitative study, using the extended case method, examined one suburban school district’s efforts to promote racial equity and focused particularly on how professional development was experienced by school personnel and on the perceived outcomes. Data sources for this study included focus groups with teachers, pupil personnel services professionals, and other school staff and administrators as well as observational data from participation in district events and meetings. This study is grounded in Gloria Anzaldúa’s nepantlera framework, which conceptualizes the in-between space between two or more cultures and those who occupy that space as “border crossers,” and nepantleras as cultural navigators, bridge builders, and advocates. Noteworthy themes included perceptions of the district’s level of commitment to racial equity; common barriers to facilitating racial equity training, such as white racial prejudice, resistance, and defensiveness; and the challenge of navigating self- and student social identities for teachers and staff of color. Implications for equity work in schools and the role of school social workers training are discussed.