Date of Award

Spring 5-2017

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Educational Research and Administration

Committee Chair

Ann Blankenship

Committee Chair Department

Educational Research and Administration

Committee Member 2

Leslie Locke

Committee Member 2 Department

Educational Leadership and School Counseling

Committee Member 3

Myron Labat

Committee Member 3 Department

Educational Research and Administration

Committee Member 4

Chuck Benigno

Committee Member 4 Department

Educational Research and Administration

Abstract

If you google African American males, the top results include the following words and phrases: poverty, incarceration, locked out of employment, struggle in the classroom, and high school incompletion. Likewise, research continues to show that disadvantages in education and in African American communities are responsible for many Black males’ poor academic achievement and social outcomes. However, there is one key element missing from majority of the research on Black males, their perspectives.

This dissertation addresses how the personal and educational experiences of low-income African American males, who dropped out of school, influenced their self-perceptions and decision regarding their educational attainment. It brings awareness to conditions that have historically affected how Black males perceived themselves and their lack of educational attainment. Three major themes emerged from data collection: parental interaction, school climate and culture, and limited resources and opportunities for educational and social advancement.

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