Date of Award
2014
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelors
Department
Social Sciences
First Advisor
Hernandez, Sarah
Keywords
Sarasota, Florida, Education, Poverty, Race, Achievement Gap
Area of Concentration
Sociology
Abstract
In our current society, the work of teachers has often been criticized and devalued. So much so that much of the existing literature on the educational achievement gap fails to include their opinions on the matter. Therefore, my work examined Sarasota teachers’ opinions on the educational achievement gap. I used semi-structured interviews of eight elementary school teachers to show the teachers’ understanding of the cause of the gap and to explain these voices in relation to the existing literature. I find that teachers believe the achievement gap is influenced more by social class than preconceived beliefs of race. Social class, in their opinions, leads to low parental involvement and stress. Teachers believe the achievement gap is affected by forces outside of the schools and hence find themselves unable to fully remedy the achievement gap . With this focus on class rather than race, teachers did not make much reference to ideas related to biology or culture. Rather most of the theory they discussed centered on structural explanations for the gap. Informed by the teachers’ views and existing literature on the topic, I argue that the causes of poverty, and their relationship to race and ethnicity, should be examined further in order to remedy the roots of the achievement gap, while also addressing its symptoms.
Recommended Citation
Fisher, Grace, "“Why are there no black kids at Southside and no white kids at Booker?”: Teachers’ Opinions on the Educational Achievement Gap in the City of Sarasota" (2014). Theses & ETDs. 4875.
https://digitalcommons.ncf.edu/theses_etds/4875