Desegregating Ourselves

Dr. Edward (Eddie) Fergus is Professor of Urban Education in the School of Arts and Sciences at Rutgers University - Newark. Prior to joining Rutgers University - Newark, Dr. Fergus was Associate Professor of Urban Education and Policy at Temple University (2017-2022) and Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy at New York University (2013-2017), and Deputy Director of the Metropolitan Center for Urban Education at New York University (2004-2013). As a former high school social studies teacher, program evaluator, and community school program director, Dr. Fergus is continuously approaching research with an attention to its application within educational settings. Dr. Fergus' work is on the intersection of educational policy and outcomes with a specific focus on Black and Latino boys' academic and social engagement outcomes, disproportionality in special education and suspensions, and school climate conditions. He has published more than four dozen articles, book chapters, evaluation reports, and five books including Skin Color and Identity Formation: Perceptions of Opportunity and Academic Orientation among Mexican and Puerto Rican Youth (Routledge Press, 2004), co-editor of Invisible No More: Disenfranchisement of Latino Men and Boys (Routledge Press, 2011), co-author of Schooling For Resilience: Improving Trajectory of Black and Latino Boys (Harvard Education Press, 2014), author of Solving Disproportionality and Achieving Equity (Corwin Press, 2016), co-editor of forthcoming book Boyhood and Masculinity Construction in the US (Routledge Press, forthcoming). Fergus has worked with over 120 school districts since 2004 on educational equity and school reform, specifically addressing disproportionality in special education and suspension. Fergus partners with state education departments and serves on various boards such as NY State Governor's Juvenile Justice Advisory Group (2010-present), appointed in 2011 to the Yonkers Public Schools Board of Education (2011-2013 and 2019-2021), National Center on Learning Disabilities (2020-present), and is an expert consultant for the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division on Educational Opportunities (2014-2016), New York State Attorney General's Office (2022), and NAACP Legal Defense Fund (2018). Dr. Fergus received a bachelor's degree in Political Science and Secondary Education - Broad Field Social Studies from Beloit College and a doctorate in Educational Policy and Social Foundations from the University of Michigan.

Dedication Acknowledgements Introduction About the Author Chapter 1: History and Background of Whiteness Used to Create Ethno-Racial Segregation Chapter 2: The Fear of Losing the Standard: From 20th Century Desegregation to 21st Century Anti-Integration Movement Chapter 3: Colorblindness Belief: Ignoring Race as a Strategy for Maintaining Social Desirability Chapter 4: Deficit Thinking and Poverty Disciplining: Our Societal Fixation on Poverty Chapter 5: Interrupting Bias-based Beliefs Built on Whiteness Appendix 1: Reflecting on our Whiteness Exposure Appendix 2: Shopping Cart List of Experiences: Everyday Colorblindness and Evasiveness Appendix 3: Colorblindness Reflection Activity Appendix 4: Shopping Cart List of Experiences: Everyday Deficit Thinking and Poverty Disciplining Appendix 5: Deficit Thinking and Poverty Disciplining Reflection Activity Appendix 6: Exploring our Current Cross-Cultural Lives, Skills, and Competencies Appendix 7: Additional Cross-Cultural Activities Appendix 8: Professional Development Template for Equity Belief Work (Leadership Tool)

"Dr. Edward Fergus is one of the nation's leading experts on racial disparities in education. For years he has not only identified patterns and causes of the problem but also helped schools to ameliorate these through thoughtful interventions. In this new book he expands his work in new directions challenging his readers to think deeply about how they may be implicated in the production of unequal treatment in our schools. For those who seek to be part of the solution, this book will be an invaluable resource." -- Dr. Pedro Noguera, Dean "In these trying times, educators are needing a book to guide the cultural repair they need to do of themselves as they work with students. Fergus once again gives educators the tools to work on unpacking and replacing the racial bias they bring to schools in order to meet our students where they are and give them a high quality education that celebrates differences, engages learners and leads to high levels of student achievement." -- Dr. Meisha Porter, President and CEO