Race, Class, and Title I Schools: A Critical Analysis of Undergraduate Discursive Practices

Do race and class still matter in American society today? Unfortunately, it is likely that race- and class-based biases continue to permeate contemporary society. Colorblind language disguises biases while coded, politically correct language allows people to express their beliefs without targeting a certain group. In this thesis, readers will engage with the role that race- and class-based implicit biases may play in contributing to the qualified teacher shortage in Title I schools. In this qualitative phenomenological study, the researcher explained emergent themes from nine small group interviews. In analyzing exemplar quotes through the sociopolitical development of discursive practices with an autoethnographic component, readers can reflect on their own way of speaking. Although certainly not the only factor affecting the qualified teacher shortage, pre-service teachers, educators, and those not in the education field can use this thesis to understand the sociopolitical, historical development of discursive practices of race and class to understand the role it may play today.