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A Teacher's Perspective:

Applying critical race theory to understand how structure, behaviour policy and institutional racism affect the disproportionate exclusion of Black Caribbean and Mixed Black Caribbean male students in a United Kingdom secondary school in Hackney.


By Kate Bonhote,

London Metropolitan University.


This dissertation examines the disproportionate exclusion of Black Caribbean and Mixed Black Caribbean male students in a secondary school case study in the diverse borough of Hackney. It uses critical race theory to centralise ‘race’ and to discredit the application of a deficit theory to the affected students and their communities. This research investigates the objective factors relating to discrimination in this topic. The focus is on the impact of structure, behaviour policy and institutional racism and how they affect the teacher-Black student dynamic. The study uses qualitative research to capture the teacher’s perspective and gain a deeper understanding through their professional knowledge and lived experience of the phenomena. The research found that inadequate resources and failure to correct racist structures undermine targeted policies.


This work received the 2023 JCJD Dissertation Prize.


DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8309671


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