Transforming Public Education

Abstract

This chapter explores how public-school policy and practice that does not consider the interest of its diverse student body can have a detrimental effect on marginalized students and their outcomes. The authors propose exploring these school practices through a prosocial lens of those who have been adversely impacted, so education systems can be positively examined and rebuilt. The authors provide personal perspective on their experiences in the public school system in Los Angeles. Author number one experienced public schools as a Black and gifted male student during the 1980s when magnet school programs were attempting to increase enrollment of white students. The second author served as an administrator in the Los Angeles public school system in a predominantly minority community. The authors use their personal experiences to exemplify how public schools have disenfranchised students of color and posit a radical process to improve Black student achievement.