Culturally Responsive, Antiracist, or Anti-Oppressive? How Language Matters for School Change Efforts

Abstract

This qualitative study explored how 18 educators, participating on inquiry teams designed to counter persistent inequities among minoritized students, described culturally responsive pedagogy and practice compared to antiracist or anti-oppressive pedagogy. Results showed how the phrase “culturally responsive” led educators to emphasize individual practices to be inclusive; develop positive interactions and relationships in the classroom; and bring students’ cultures and voices into the curriculum. In contrast, educators felt the terms “antiracist” and “anti-oppressive” entailed enacting practices to call out and engage in critical dialogue around race, racism, and oppression in the classroom and to highlight the systemic barriers that maintain gaps for minoritized students. We discuss the ways in which not naming race can lead to color-evasive approaches to practice, and we provide recommendations for centering race in school change and educator professional learning efforts.