Breaking Down Racialized Power Hierarchies to Build Solidarity: A Case Study of How Family and Educator Relationships Influence School Decision-Making

Abstract

Students benefit when their family is engaged with their school, but traditional forms of engagement privilege the participation of White caregivers and reproduce inequities for those minoritized by race, class, gender, sexuality, language, disability, and other social factors. Despite the prevalence of individualistic, school-centric family engagement, educators and caregivers can build solidarity and work together to disrupt whiteness. Grounded in theories of whiteness, organizational change, and solidarity, this study examines how educators at one elementary school attend to racialized power dynamics while building relationships with families and how these efforts to cultivate relationality shift power in school decision-making. Findings illuminate the importance of intentional relationship-building and educator practices that increase agency for families of color, as well as the limitations of individual efforts when family engagement structures are not altered to meaningfully shift power.