CEU 4008 - School of Education Diversity Conference

Course Description

The purpose of the conference is for educators to discuss and share topics, which have historically hindered the academic, social, and/or emotional outcomes of students of color. Education is a gateway for learning and building human, social, and financial capital, however, not all students and/or groups of students have benefited from past and present educational practices. This conference provides the blend of research, evidence-based practices, and classroom experiences to better equip educators to teach, support, and increase academic, social, and/or emotional outcomes for students of color. Racism has a long history in our country, and has created inequities in education that have caused much hurt and pain for many students and families. While overt racism is not always visible in school settings, nonetheless, implicit bias and stereotype threats continue to have negative outcomes for students of color. Therefore, our keynote speaker and presenters will help conference attendees to bridge a more proactive gateway and replace outdated and reactive strategies/systems. The presentations will center on gender identity, high stakes assessments and students of color, labels that cause more harm than good, the model minority myth, social emotional learning, cultural humility, disabilities and racism, additional stories from MLK, and long-term effects of stereotype threats. In sum, the creation of a positive and more prosperous tomorrow is necessary and something that education can provide, but it is often elusive because of poor systemic policies and practices within our school system that place students of color in a deficit model.