The Structures of Cultural Meanings Within Desegregated Schools Fifty Years After Brown

  • Carter argues that researchers must examine how socio-cultural dynamics in racially mixed schools affect the academic achievement and engagement of racial/ethnic minority students.
  • The paper addresses third generation desegregation problems—the persistent achievement gap between Black and Latino students and Asian and White students attending the same schools.
  • The school is a system of cultural meanings and messages.
  • Researchers need to consider the meanings attached to school practices and policies (ex. Tracking and curricula) and how these messages are perceived and internalized by students from less privileged social backgrounds.