Action Research:
“Combating Racist Attitudes in
High School Classrooms”
Amy Everhart
Secondary: English, Political Science
Research Question
• Observation:
– Issues of racism
with some students
• Research Question:
– How effective is social learning about racism
in changing students' attitudes/beliefs about
social issues?
Background Research
• Importance of safe environment for open,
honest dialogue
• Social learning unit plans – personal
narratives
• Reflective questions for self-assessment in
unit plans – promoting equity
Background Research
• Critical thinking skills and self reflection 
open-mindedness
• Intensive lessons with pre-tests and posttests to gauge change in thought
• Whole classes centered around social
learning
Research Plan
• Gradual social learning fused with unit
– Informal data through discussions & journals
– Mock election ballots
• One-day intensive social learning
– Pre-test
– Video clip: A Class Divided
– Discussion & post-test
• Is gradual or intensive learning more
effective? Are either effective?
Data Collection
• Mock election ballots
– Candidate
– Reasoning
• Journal entries throughout Inherit the Wind
unit
• Pre-test and post-test– A Class Divided
Pre-Test
• Free write about social learning
• True or false:
– People of different races should stick with their own kind.
– Historical tensions among different groups of people have no
relevance to today’s society.
– Racism is still an issue in America today.
– Affirmative action is necessary to make up for the current social
injustices that have been caused by slavery in historical America.
– “White” people are privileged in current-day America.
– “White” people deserve to be privileged in current-day America.
– Certain races are just naturally smarter than others.
– Segregation is a thing of the past.
Post-Test
• Re-do true/false questions
• Did any of your answers change from what
you said before you watched the clip?
Which ones? Why?
• What questions do you have about social
& racial issues in America? For you, what
would be the most effective way to learn
about these topics?
Data – Mock Election
McCain
Obama
Nader
Other
Data – Mock Election
•
•
•
•
37.9% - Agree with political beliefs
24.3% - Republican/Democrat
19.3% - Parents
12.1% - Don’t like idea of AfricanAmerican President
• 4.3% - Like idea of African-American
President
• 2.1% - Like idea of Woman VP
Data - Journals
•
•
•
•
•
Racism–generational issue in Parma
Importance of deciding opinions for self
White supremacy
Short-sighted
Still developing ability to take another
perspective
Data – A Class Divided
25
20
15
Pre-Test
Post-Test
10
5
0
A
B
F
G
• Points for all racist statements went down,
although not by much
Data – A Class Divided
• “I don’t even feel like it’s an issue
anymore, and I’m more annoyed that we
have to learn about black discrimination in
all my classes. But it’s sad that that
happened to them but it’s over now.”
• “I saw how whites were more privileged.”
• “Black people are not equal to whites… If
it ain’t white it ain’t right… white > black.”
Data – A Class Divided
• “Why do black people get angry at others
because of something that didn’t happen
to them, and that we didn’t do? Why do
others feel like we owe them? We’re sorry,
but we didn’t do it.”
• “Before I saw segregation as a thing of the
past, but now I can see how it can still
exist today.”
Data – A Class Divided
• “Racism will happen no matter what so let
it happen.”
• “Why don’t we have better border control?
Idk. Biology. 1 black person I like is my
cousin.”
• “My opinion on affirmative action changed.
I feel that they should at least try to put a
stop to racism.”
Data – A Class Divided
• “I think the only problem with our school
are the people who believe the south will
rise again and the few black people we
have at Western are very very heavily
judge upon. The south will not rise again
they need to realize. For goodness sake
we now have a ½ black President.”
Data Analysis
• Best to be explicit – intensive learning is
probably best
• High schoolers too old to change their
thoughts?
• Social learning should be implemented
into lessons throughout school year
• Safe environment to share honest
opinions – crucial
Action Plan
• Gradual but explicit social learning from
beginning of school year
• Intensive lessons
• Intensive units
• New high school course - ?
• Hands-on experiences
Sources
• PBS Frontline A Class Divided:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/divided/
• Rozema, H. (1997, November 21). Using personal
narratives to incorporate diversity into the basic
communication course. National Communication
Association.
• Lawrence, B. (2000, April 28). Reflections of a white
teacher teaching a course on racism. American
Educational Research Association.
• Bambino, D. (2005). Learning to see with a third eye:
working to address inequity effectively. Educational
Horizons.
• Klein, T. (1992, May). Teaching tolerance: prejudice
awareness and reduction in secondary schools. Master’s
thesis, Dominican College.
Questions? 