Reconceptualizing the implications of Eurocentric discourse vis-a?-vis the educational realities of African American students with some implications for special education

by Robinson, Carl L.

RECONCEPTUALIZING THE IMPLICATIONS OF EUROCENTRIC DISCOURSE VIS-À-VIS THE EDUCATIONAL REALITIES OF AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS WITH SOME IMPLICATIONS FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION by Carl L. Robinson This is a conceptual study that uses Afrocentric, racial contract, racial formation, and social censure theories to perform a critical philosophical interrogation of certain historical and contemporary aspects of White supremacy and Eurocentrism. Collectively, the theories that inform this study brings into focus the marginalization of African American students as it pertains to their overrepresentation in special education. This study examines how White supremacy and Eurocentrism impacts the social and political realities of African Americans and people of African descent throughout the enterprise of American schooling and beyond. The aforementioned critical social and political analysis is used to explore the historical and contemporary implications of Eurocentric educational discourse regarding the educational realities of African American students, particularly their overrepresentation in special education. An important component of this study is the delineation of some of the influential ideas and ideological perspectives of some of the major Western philosophers and the impact that these thinkers had on the construction of educational institutions and societal norms that marginalize certain groups of people, particularly African Americans. Concomitantly, the discourses of objectivity and scientism that emerged from the Renaissance and Enlightenment movements are critically interrogated regarding their respective roles in thrusting Eurocentrism into prominence. This study examines the phenomenon of marginalization, domination, otherization, colonization, and oppression that emerge out of Eurocentricity, which invariably, adversely impact the realities of African Americans throughout the enterprise of American schooling and beyond. By conceptualizing a discourse via Afrocentric, racial contract, racial formation, and social censure theories that critically examines the overrepresentation of African Americans from an Afrocentric perspective, this study reveals that African American students are institutionally marginalized and oppressed via culturally insensitive institutional logic, which in turn, produces culturally insensitive educators and educational policy. These realities are illuminated by retheorizing the phenomenon of the overrepresentation of African Americans in special education. This is achieved via a critical analysis that deconstructs mainstream European norms, values, and customs as being, in many cases, antithetical to the academic and social development of African Americans in the educational setting. This study introduces Afrocentric educational discourse as a viable alternative to Eurocentric educational discourse. Due to the fact that Afrocentric educational discourse rejects the negative attributes of Eurocentric educational discourse, it offers legitimate sociopolitical emancipatory implications for African Americans throughout the enterprise of schooling and beyond.