Access Type
Open Access Dissertation
Date of Award
January 2025
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Department
Educational Leadership and Policy
First Advisor
Erica Edwards
Abstract
ABSTRACT
This qualitative study explores how alternative educators perceive the experiences of African American male students in Disciplinary Alternative Education Programs (DAEPs). Guided by critical epistemology and grounded in Critical Race Theory, the research uses narrative inquiry to examine the ways in which disciplinary reassignment from traditional school settings affects Black male students. The study highlights the systemic issues that disproportionately affect African American males while addressing the larger context of educational inequality and its relationship to the school-to-prison pipeline. The results show that alternative teachers are aware of the critical need for equity-focused professional development, culturally sensitive practices, and the disruption of unconscious prejudices in alternate learning settings. The study concludes that schools should implement Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), along with Professional Development to adopt culturally relevant pedagogy, and engage in ongoing reflection to better support the academic and social outcomes of Black male students in DAEPs.
KEYWORDS: Disciplinary Alternative Education Programs, Alternative Schools, Alternative School Teachers, Critical Race Theory
Recommended Citation
Earl, Carlita Yevonne Y., "The Alternative Schoolteachers Perspectives Of African American Males' Experiences In Alternative Education" (2025). Wayne State University Dissertations. 4253.
https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/oa_dissertations/4253