My dissertation examines the distrust and trust that New York City African-American parents place in schools at a moment when market-based education policies and gentrification are transforming the landscape of public schools in many historically Black urban communities. In my study, I tease apart how the nature of parent trust in local public schools might be different from the nature of trust in the institution of public schooling or faith in public education, as Black parents may expect different things from the local school and the school system. I also explore how trust or distrust in parent-school relationships develops, by treating trusting as a dynamic process, shaped by past socialization and experiences, as well as current experiences with schools. I examine parents’ accounts of critical moments in their relationship with their child’s schools; such as finding and enrolling their children in a new school, impressions of teaching and classroom management and to what extent schools respected their parent involvement. I find that the parent-school relationship develops different for Black parents who send their children to traditional public schools and charter schools, but that in general, the parent perceptions of schools’ lack of care for Black children and lack of respect for Black parents are what drives distrust. By examining how trust in public schools might develop uniquely for Black Americans, my study develops treatments of trust in education research and theory by challenging the functionalist and power-neutral assumption that trust in schools is inherently constructive. By centering the perspectives of Black parents to better understand how legacies of institutional racism impede the development of trust in schools, I highlight how these normative assumptions about parent trust in schools often elide the role of socio-cultural exclusion, power asymmetries, discrimination, and a legacy of institutional racism and neglect—across many institutional contexts—that foreground orientations of parents of color toward educators and schools. Indeed, it is often prudent for Black parents to distrust schools and educators in order to protect their children because they have not been trustworthy. In addition, my study also illuminates whether changing urban school systems are deemed legitimate in the eyes of the public, and what kinds of parent-school relationships can foster greater trust.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Lehigh University, 2001. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 111-122).

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of North Texas, Aug., 2009. / Title from title page display. Includes bibliographical references.

The history and challenges regarding segregation, desegregation, and resegregation remain tangible and threatening to public schools today. Public support has shifted away from the gains made during the 1960s-80s through civil rights action and litigation and public policies now reflect a more laissez faire position toward racial and cultural interaction. The political movement of “dismantling desegregation” has been well documented by researchers (Steinberg, 1995; Orfield, 1996; Eaton & Orfield, 1996; Caldas & Bankston, 1998; Orfield & Yun, 1999; Peoples, 2001; Zhou, 2003; Eckes, 2004). But what can be added to the existing body of work is a greater understanding of the voices of those most directly effected by the current trends to resegregate. This study addresses the following questions: How do members of marginalized African American communities understand resegregation and how it will affect their children in public schools? In particular, how do African American parents respond to the educational shifts impacting their children? For the purposes of this qualitative case study, African American parents with school age children are the primary informants. Each participant volunteer responses to a series of interviews relating to educational issues concerning desegregation and resegregation, school quality, student and faculty ethnicity, and racism. Through the use of interviews arranged into four case studies and other data sources (school district records, state statistics, and newspaper articles), a clearer understanding of a marginalized community in a segregated, desegregated, and resegregated African American community is presented. The study offers an analysis of statistical data and a brief summary of case study themes. Six comprehensive findings are examined in the last chapter. Two implications conclude the study. / text

Psychological assessment has a long history to be used for diagnostic purposes for all ages. This traditional model of assessment has been common for decades, but has not emphasized some important aspects of best practice (Brenner, 2003). To address the limitations of the information gathering model of assessment, collaborative and therapeutic approaches to assessment have been developed over the past several decades (e.g. Finn & Thonsager, 1997; Fischer, 1970). Therapeutic Assessment (TA) emphasizes the opportunity to provide positive changes in the client and their system by involving the client throughout the assessment process, and establishing a meaningful and collaborative relationship between assessor and client (Finn, 2007). The TA has been found to produce many positive impacts on client’s assessment experiences in mainstream American culture. It is important to note how these positive impacts transfer to clients of different cultures. Thus the purpose of this study will be to investigate the effect of acculturation on Asian American parents’ perception of existing models of child assessment. This study will examine the relations between acculturation and perception of assessment models (information gathering model versus Therapeutic Assessment) among Chinese American parents. / text

Dissertation (Ph.D.) -- The Institute for Clinical Social Work, 2003. / A dissertation submitted to the faculty of the Institute of Clinical Social Work in partial fulfillment for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Virginia Commonwealth University, 2008. / Prepared for: School of Social Work. Title from title-page of electronic thesis. Advisors : Melissa Abell, Faye Z. Belgrave. Bibliography: leaves 272-319.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--George Mason University, 2009. / Vita: p. 122. Thesis director: David Brazer. Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Education. Title from PDF t.p. (viewed June 10, 2009). Includes bibliographical references (p. 115-121). Also issued in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of North Texas, May, 2008. / Title from title page display. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Virginia Commonwealth University, 2008. / Prepared for: School of Social Work. Advisors : Melissa Abell, Faye Z. Belgrave. Bibliography: leaves 272-319. Also available online via the Internet.