62 within education, advocating for systemic changes to create supportive, equitable learning environments for Black students. Despite decades of policy shifts and social movements, the achievement gap persists, influenced by factors such as poverty, discrimination, and cultural disconnection. Studies show that African American students often face academic disengagement, exacerbated by a lack of representation in gifted programs, underqualified teachers, and disproportionate disciplinary actions. As a result, African American students continue to encounter systemic obstacles that hinder their academic success, contributing to a cycle of educational disadvantage that remains a critical issue in today’s educational landscape. By tracing historical developments, exploring educational theories, and analyzing contemporary challenges, the literature review lays the groundwork for understanding the multifaceted dynamics that influence African American secondary students at affluent campuses. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of addressing structural inequities and fostering inclusive educational environments that empower all students to thrive academically and personally. Research Design The current study focused on the profound characteristics of qualitative research. According to Johnson and Christensen (2020), researchers aim to study behavior “naturalistically and holistically” (p. 35) to identify patterns and probabilistic causes. These authors also express that a phenomenological study is the most appropriate method to attempt to “understand and portray the lives, experiences, and language” of the typically silent African American voice (p. 35). To illuminate the uniqueness and richness found in the analysis of student voice, a hermeneutic phenomenological approach was chosen for the current study. Neubauer et al. (2019) notes that this particular approach allows researchers to take on genuine interaction with not only the experiences described in detail by their interviewees but with their lifeworld as well, thus creating an ongoing interpretation relying on the interpretational skills of the lead researcher (p. 94). Only students identifying as African American were invited to participate in the interview process. For the current study, an African American student is defined as “a Black American mainly of African ancestry, but many have non-Black ancestors as well” (Lee, 2002). The sample included 10 African American male and 10 African American female students, Ages 13–19. Participants were selected through convenience sampling and recruited via social media platforms, with parents and guardians asked to share the study with their children. Interested parents or guardians contacted the researcher, who provided consent and assent forms. Once consent was obtained, parents were encouraged to recommend the study to others. The recruitment process was approved through Dallas Baptist University’s Protection of Human Participants Research Application and confirmed by parent/guardian approval. After parental consent, students completed the assent form to confirm their participation rights. Summary of Findings and Interpretation of Results The current study provides an overview of the demographics of the 20 African American student participants. To clarify, these students were grouped into two cohorts: males and females. In the male cohort, the oldest participants, BLD and TCJ, both graduated early in December at the age of 19 from their respective affluent campuses. MAF, the youngest male at 16, was still adjusting to the complexities of high school as a sophomore. The current study also involved 10 female participants. The oldest, VMN, is scheduled to graduate in May 2024, while the youngest, HHO, at 15, shared insights from her brief time in secondary school. The current study employed both deductive and inductive approaches to gather in-depth data. To manage the large dataset, three central focus areas were used to guide the analysis: school climate, campus instruction, and relational capacity. From these, six key themes emerged: • Impact of School Rules • Racial Microaggressions • Student Voice/Sense of Belonging • Learning Perspectives • Teacher-Student Relationships • Mentorship and Guidance Chelsea N. W. MacKinnon, Ed.D.
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