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Abstract
This study investigates how the court-involved Black juvenile male (CBJM) experiences schooling through Blackness as a lived condition and its impact on the messaging he receives about college and career pathways. Its purpose was to expand upon current and past research around the analysis of educational programming for the court-involved Black juvenile male. Participants in the study were between the ages of 18-24 years old, had been court-involved either through the juvenile justice system, foster care, or both, and identified as male and Black. The current research included interviews with five participants, analysis of survey results, and reviews of each participant’s school records. Findings illuminated that Blackness as a lived condition had a significant negative impact on the participants’ educational experiences, resulting in all participants dropping out of high school. Moreover, the data showed that the participants received very little or no college and career messaging, took few college-preparatory courses, and participated in no career technical education courses. In addition, there emerged patterns of inequities in the opportunities afforded to the participants in their schooling. The research findings are not conclusive but instead suggest the need for further research to determine the level of responsibility educational spaces have to better educate the court-involved Black juvenile male.
