Black Fathers Rising: A QuantCrit Analysis of Black Fathers’ Paternal Influence on Sons’ Engagement and Sense of School Belonging in High School

ABSTRAC

This QuantCrit analysis considers Black fathers’ influence on their sons’ engagement and sense of belonging in urban intensive and emergent high schools. Canonical correlations show a significant relationship between Black fathers’ paternal influence and their sons’ engagement and sense of belonging in school. We discuss two QuantCrit interpretation strategies to contextualize and recenter race via Black fathers’ experiential knowledge. Within the proper social-cultural context, these results illuminate a unique paternal educational habitus among Black fathers, which focuses on high levels of academic engagement with a family-centric locus of influence on their sons’ sense of belonging.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Willie C. Harmon

Willie C. Harmon Jr. is a doctoral candidate of Curriculum & Instruction (Urban Education emphasis) in the Department of Teaching, Learning, & Culture at Texas A&M University. His research agenda fills gaps in extant literature related to the development of critical consciousness among Black men and boys across the P-20 context and the educational needs of military-connected youth. He has 15 years of experience working as an educator and master’s level social worker.

Marlon James

Marlon James is an assistant professor specializing in Urban and Multicultural Education at Texas A&M University and is a Faculty Research Fellow for the Center for Applied Research and Statistics at Prairie View A&M University. His research focuses on promoting optimal development among young Black men in urban schools, instructional reform, and ending the impacts of racism in public schools and higher education institutions.

Jamaal Young

Jamaal Young is an associate professor at Texas A&M University. He examines the effects of opportunity structures related to instruction (e.g., teacher quality, access to technology, or out-of-school time activities) on the STEM dispositions of traditionally underrepresented populations of learners. He identifies the most salient factors influencing the mathematics identity of Black male and female learners. Additionally, Dr. Young has procured funding from NASA and the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Lawrence Scott

Lawrence Scott is an assistant professor of Educational Leadership at Texas A&M University—San Antonio. His research specialty is school and community relations, multicultural practices in educational leadership, and curriculum development. He has served over 23 years as a scholar-practitioner in urban education. He was a teacher, district-level curriculum specialist, school counselor, and administrator for San Antonio ISD. He has implemented community outreach trainings for organizations, schools, and universities.