Abstract

The Coronavirus Disease [COVID-19] pandemic was a public health crisis. As of January 2022, there were over 314 million infections and over 5.5 million deaths (Assefa et al., 2022). Unfortunately, COVID-19 disproportionately impacted minoritized populations. This study will investigate the relationship between COVID-19 and the impact on minoritized students attending Title I elementary schools in one urban school district. According to Lopez-Ibor (2006), "disasters are diverse events as a consequence of a danger that affects social groups and produces material and human losses resulting in insufficient resources of the community and insufficient coping through social mechanisms" (p. 22). COVID-19 affected large numbers of people through death, illness, or financial crisis. According to the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (2016), disasters are considered traumatic experiences. After such disasters, it is normal for one to experience a number of stress-related reactions, followed by grieving and loss. In disastrous circumstances, the experience of safety, security, and predictability in the world is challenged, and a sense of uncertainty becomes the new normal. The way the global crisis was handled by the United States government was questioned by public health experts (Dow et al., 2021). The federal response to COVID-19 impacted society, negatively impacting the economy. COVID-19 impacted minority communities at a significant rate. The children of the most impacted areas were also affected by grief resulting from the loss of a loved one, further distrust in the government, and continued financial distress. For this reason, this study will examine the impact structural racism had on minoritized populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Minoritized students were most impacted by school closures, leading to caregiver job loss and a rise in mental health concerns for caregivers and children (Lawson et al., 2020). Furthermore, the same discipline inequalities that existed pre-COVID-19 resurfaced during virtual learning and the online access issues virtual learning brought. Schools eventually reopened, but it has not been determined if schools were prepared to respond to trauma caused by COVID-19. The conclusions and recommendations of this study can support school district leaders in determining how to design culturally responsive support systems for minoritized students as it relates to the impact of COVID-19. This research also has the potential to impact policy, specifically how funding is allocated to provide resources and support to minoritized students.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2023

Semester

Summer

Advisor

Bartee, RoSusan

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

College

College of Community Innovation and Education

Department

Educational Leadership and Higher Education

Degree Program

Educational Leadership; Executive Track

Identifier

CFE0009772; DP0027880

URL

https://purls.library.ucf.edu/go/DP0027880

Language

English

Release Date

August 2023

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Doctoral Dissertation (Open Access)

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