The Moderating Role of School Belonging on School Racial Socialization and Anti-Racism Action

Critical consciousness (CC) is, “learning to perceive social, political, and economic contradictions and to take action against the oppressive elements of reality” (Freire, 1974). Researchers have found connections between CC development and the academic environment in which adolescent youth are immersed. However, more research must be conducted to understand the specifics of why academic environments may influence students differently. Though there are many factors and stimuli which make up a students’ experience within their academic environment, we will be focusing on the type of socialization a student might receive. Specifically, how does racial socialization processes that occur in school influence youth CC engagement? When examining connections between CC development and the academic experience of our youth, school ethnic racial socialization (ERS) within academic settings should be explored. The current study investigates how differing types of school racial socialization (i.e., cultural, CC, and colorblind) is associated with engagement in the different forms of antiracist action (i.e., communal, political, and interpersonal) and how school belongingness moderates these relationships. To explore these questions critical consciousness theory and school ethnic/racial socialization theory will be utilized. This study has implications for how we shape educational environments throughout our country and gives a clearer picture as to how we can support youth in their CC development journeys.