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Researchers have emphasized how the high school STEM-themed career academy model benefits ethnically and racially diverse learners by promoting positive STEM identities and raising the interest of students to pursue STEM college and career pathways. The purpose of this study was to examine the reasons why Black boys participated in a high school academy of engineering. We were also interested in identifying academy features that helped promote (or inhibit) positive STEM identities among Black male students. In this qualitative study, we used data from 17 Black male high school academy of engineering students. We analyzed the interview transcripts using a constant comparative method. Using an embedded case study approach, we compared our findings to the community cultural wealth (CCW) factors and the factors that researchers have found to influence students’ STEM identities. We found that the participants brought six forms of capital with them that served as sources of motivation to participate in the program. The forms of capital that were related to the CCW framework included aspirational, familial, navigational, resistance, and social. While we did not uncover linguistic capital in our data analysis, we did find an additional source of capital that was not reflected in the CCW framework. We found that the Black boys had natural STEM talent based on the formation of STEM identities. The students had high aptitudes in STEM-related subjects, and they were engaged by participating in hands-on activities. We recommend that schools integrate STEM curricula for Black boys and provide Black men to serve as STEM role models through guest speaking opportunities, job shadowing, mentoring, internships, and other work-based learning experiences.
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Preserving Innocence: Ending adultification and toxic masculinity among Black boys
As early as the age of ten, Black boys are viewed as older, guilty until proven innocent by law enforcement (including school resource officers), and encounter a myriad of adverse racialized academic and social experiences (e.g., explicit and implicit biases) (Goff et al., 2014; Noguera, 2008). Dancy (2014) noted how Trayvon Martin, a Black male teen murdered for essentially being seen as threatening and intimidating, was viewed as adult-aged, deviant, troubled, and shiftless. Moreover, Black boys are expected to express minimum “signs” of weakness, vulnerability, and/or sensitivity. The aforementioned social persona may contribute to young Black men and boys not feeling comfortable talking about their feelings and emotional distresses or even seeking professional help, when needed. Generally speaking, many young Black men and boys struggle with emotional vulnerability and choose to avoid or resist any attempts to examine their emotional experiences. Thus, it is important to note that the absence of healthy emotional support channels to process and disclose their feelings may lead to negative life outcomes, such as depression, cardiac arrest, and a shorter lifespan (Ford, 2020). In this article, we discuss the historical and contemporary contexts of adultification of young Black boys; present two vignettes to show examples of how boys are adultified; examine how toxic masculinity may prevent healthy relationships and emotional expressions for Black boys; and offer specific recommendations to educators and families.
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- PAR ID:
- 10353524
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of family strengths
- Volume:
- 21
- Issue:
- 1
- ISSN:
- 2168-670X
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 1-11
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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