In spite of research suggesting the importance of diverse professionals in education (Mattison & Aber, 2007), no studies have explored the professional experiences of school counselors of Color. In this exploratory grounded-theory qualitative study, researchers interviewed 19 school counselors of Color. Responses revealed both positive and negative racial experiences in the schools, with mitigating factors involving the school environment. Implications for professional school counselors include advocacy and allyhood.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
American School Counselor Association. (2012). The ASCA National Model: A framework for school counseling programs(3rd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Author.
2.
BemakF. (2005). Reflections on multiculturalism, social justice, and empowerment groups for academic success: A critical discourse for contemporary schools.Professional School Counseling; 8, 401–406.
3.
BryantR., CokerA., DurodoyeB., McCollumV., Pack-BrownS., ConstantineM., & O'BryantB. J. (2005). Having our say: African American women, diversity, and counseling.Journal of Counseling & Development, 83(3), 313–319.
4.
ChabrisC., & SimonsD. (2009). The invisible gorilla.New York, NY: Crown.
5.
CholewaB., & West-OlatunjiC. (2008). Exploring the relationship among cultural discontinuity, psychological distress, and academic outcomes with low-income, culturally diverse students.Professional School Counseling, 12, 54–61.
6.
ColemanaM., & Campbell-StephensR. (2010). Perceptions of career progress: The experience of Black and Minority Ethnic school leaders.School Leadership & Management, 30(1), 35–49. doi:10.1080/13632430903509741.
7.
CorbinJ., & StraussA. (2008). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory(3rd ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage.
8.
CôtéS., & MorganL. M. (2002). A longitudinal analysis of the association between emotional regulation, job satisfaction, and intentions to quit.Journal of Organizational Behavior, 23, 947–962. doi:10.1002/job.174
9.
CreswellJ. W. (2013) Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches(3rd ed.).Los Angeles, CA: Sage.
10.
DiestelS., & SchmidtK. H. (2010). Interactive effects of emotional dissonance and self-control demands on burnout, anxiety, and absenteeism.Journal of Vocational Behavior, 77, 412–424. doi:10.1016/j.jvb.2010.05.006
11.
DelgadoR., & StefancicJ. (2012). Critical race theory: An introduction(2nd ed.). New York, NY: New York University.
12.
Department of Labor and Statistics. (2010). Employment by detailed occupation, race, and Hispanic ethnicity [Data file]. Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat11.pdf
13.
DixsonA., & RousseauC. (2005). And we are still not saved: Critical race theory in education ten years later.Race, Ethnicity and Education, 8(1), 7–27. doi:10.1080/1361332052000340971.
14.
JacksonS. A., HoltM. L., & NelsonK. W. (2005). Counselors’ models of helping: Addressing the needs of the culturally different client in school settings.Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 33, 205–216. doi:10.1002/j.2161-1912.2005.tb00017.x.
15.
KohliR. (2009). Critical race reflections: Valuing the experiences of teachers of Color in teacher education.Race, Ethnicity & Education, 12(2), 235–251. doi:10.1080/13613320902995491.
16.
KhosrovaniM., & WardJ. W. (2011). African Americans’ perceptions of access to workplace opportunities: A survey of employees in Houston, Texas.Journal of Cultural Diversity, 18(4), 134–141. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/
17.
Ladson-BillingsG. (2005). The evolving role of critical race theory in educational scholarship.Race, Ethnicity, and Education, 8(1), 115–119. doi:10.1080/1361332052000341024.
18.
LeasherM. K., & MillerC. E. (2012). Discrimination across the sectors: A comparison of discrimination trends in private and public organizations.Public Personnel Management, 41(2), 281–326. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/
19.
LynnM. (2002). Critical Race Theory and the perspectives of Black men teachers in the Los Angeles public schools.Equity & Excellence in Education, 35, 2, 119–30. doi:10.1080/713845287.
20.
LynnM. (2006). Dancing between two worlds: A portrait of the life of a black male teacher in South Central LA.International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education (QSE), 19(2), 221–242. doi:10.1080/09518390600576111.
21.
MarleyD. (2009). Career paths blocked by school ‘culture of racism’.Times Educational Supplement, (4864), 26–27. Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.
22.
MarshallC., & RossmanG. B. (2011). Designing qualitative research(5th ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage.
23.
MattisonE., & AberM. (2007). Closing the achievement gap: The association of racial climate with achievement and behavioral outcomes.American Journal of Community Psychology, 40(1/2), 1–12. doi:10.1007/s10464-007-9128-x.
24.
McCarthyC., Van Horn KerneV., CalfaN. A., LambertR. G., & GuzmanM. (2010). An exploration of school counselors’ demands and resources: Relationship to stress, biographic, and caseload characteristics.Professional School Counseling, 13, 146–158. doi:10.5330/PSC.n.2010-13.146.
25.
MerriamS. B. (1998). Qualitative research and case study applications in education.San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
26.
MonkG., WinsladeJ., & SinclairS. (2008). New horizons in multicultural counseling.Los Angeles, CA: Sage.
27.
National Education Association, National Collaborative on Diversity in the Teaching Force. (2004). Assessment of diversity in America's teaching force: A call to action. Retrieved from http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/HE/diversityreport.pdf
28.
NogueraP. (2001). Racial politics and the elusive quest for excellence and equity in education.Education and Urban Society, 34(1), 18–41. doi:10.1177/0013124501341003.
29.
Nunez-SmithM., CurryL., BergD., KrumholzH., & BradleyE. (2008). Healthcare workplace conversations on race and the perspectives of physicians of African descent.JGIM: Journal of General Internal Medicine, 23, 1471-1476. doi:10.1007/s11606-008-0709-7.
PicowerB. (2009). The unexamined Whiteness of teaching: How White teachers maintain and enact dominant racial ideologies.Race, Ethnicity and Education, 12(2), 197–215. doi:10.1080/13613320902995475.
33.
SalazarC. R. (2005). Outsiders in a White, middle-class system: Counselor educators of Color in academe.Journal of Humanistic Counseling, Education, and Development, 44, 240–252. doi:10.1002/j.2164-490X.2005.tb00034.x.
34.
ShenY., & LowingerR. (2007). School counselors’ self-perceived Asian American counseling competence.Professional School Counseling, 11, 69–71. doi:10.5330/PSC.n.2010-11.69.
35.
SinghA. A., UrbanoA., HastonM., & McMahonE. (2010). School counselors’ strategies for social justice change: A grounded theory of what works in the real world.Professional School Counseling, 13, 135–145.
36.
SloanM. M. (2011). Unfair treatment in the workplace and worker well-being: The role of coworker support in a service work environment.Work and Occupations, 39, 3–34. doi:10.1177/0730888411406555
37.
Smith-AdcockS., DanielsM., LeeS., VillalbaJ., & IndelicatoN. (2001). Culturally responsive school counseling for Hispanic/Latino students: The need for bilingual school counselors.Professional School Counseling, 10, 92–101.
38.
SteeleC. M. (2010). Whistling Vivaldi: How stereotypes affect us and what we can do.New York, NY: Norton & Sons.
39.
StraussA., & CorbinJ. (1998). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory(2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
40.
SueD. W., CapodilupoC. M., TorinoG. C., BucceriJ. M., HolderA. M. B., NadalK. L., & EsquilinM. (2007). Racial microaggressions in everyday life: Implications for clinical practice.American Psychologist, 67(4), 271–286. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.62.4.271
41.
TewksburyR., & HigginsG. E. (2006). Examining the effect of emotional dissonance on work stress and satisfaction with supervisors among correctional staff.Criminal Justice Policy Review, 17, 290–301. doi:10.1177/0887403405282961
42.
WatersR. (2010, November/December). Understanding allyhood as a developmental process.About Campus. Retrieved from wileyonlinelibrary.com. doi:10.1002/abc.20035.
43.
ZirkelS. (2005). Ongoing issues of racial and ethnic stigma in education 50 years after Brown v. Board.Urban Review, 37(2), 107–126. doi:10.1007/s11256-005-0004-4.