- Research Article
- 10.3998/mjcsl.5135
Title Pending 5135
- Dec 22, 2023
- Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning
- Gene Corbin + 3 more +3
This article argues that current approaches to civic learning tend to normalize Whiteness. It describes how a team in Massachusetts developed a framework for civic learning through a lens of racial equity and provided professional development opportunities based on this framework. Civic learning for a multiracial democracy cannot be done in a manner that fails to embrace the cultural wealth and lived experiences of all students. The approach described in this article offers an alternative way of thinking about civic learning that can inform other efforts or be replicated in other locations. John Dewey (1916 Dewey ( /1980) ) famously said, "Democracy has to be reborn every generation, and education is its midwife" (p. 139). Accordingly, a long line of educators and political leaders have called on systems of education to foster the development of knowledge and skills needed for democratic participation along with a commitment to the common good that grounds a wise use of that learning. A resurgence of attention to this public purpose in higher education was kindled by the American Association of College and Universities (AAC&U) release in 2012 of A Crucible Moment: College Learning & Democracy's Future (National Task Force). However, the vast majority of this work on civic learning and student civic identity formation has been done by White teachers and scholars, thinking all too often about the experiences and perspectives of predominantly White students. How would our thinking about this work shift if we looked at it through a lens of racial equity, taking the experiences and charting the trajectories of students who identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) as centrally as we do the learning processes of White students? How would a race-conscious approach-which intentionally considers the assets and educational needs of both BIPOC and White students rather than a colorblind approach-help us identify ways to address the resulting racial disparities? The project presented here embraces these questions and contributes a framework for civic learning developed through a lens of racial equity; it also provides an overview of how the framework was used to support professional development opportunities for faculty, staff, and administrators across Massachusetts. The overarching
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