UNPACKING BARRIERS TO LEARNING: RACE AND ETHNICITY IN SCHOOLS IN NORTHERN COLORADO

This paper invites a reflection on how race plays out in communities, schools, and classrooms in Northern Colorado based in partial study results of a study completed in 2011. The results demonstrate individual and societal racism impacting 105 middle and high school Hispanic and Latino students in their schools and communities. A barrier to learning is based in the student's race and ethnicity. The findings include 62 verbal racial microaggressions and 46 behavioral racial microaggressions. The findings are examined through Pierce's (1970) theory on the stress and low self-esteem created by racial microaggressions. Implications related to students and educators will be discussed and ideas on supporting culturally and linguistically diverse students are offered, and ideas for further research are presented.