“The World Isn't Black and White”: Adolescent Youth of Color Reflect on School Ethnic‐Racial Climate, Context, and Identity in Middle School

Contemporary scholars of race contend that the long‐heralded “American Dream” rhetoric continues to thrive within the ideology of colorblindness, whereby race is deemed insignificant. Public schools are not insulated from this, and recent political assaults the teaching of “divisive” concepts have already had a chilling effect on classroom content, posing a threat to the affirmation of racially marginalized students. Using qualitative interviews, we examined the salience of ethnicity‐race and ethnic‐racial identity for students of varied ethnic‐racial groups ( n = 22) in a middle school community that was ethno‐racially diverse, but where White students constituted a large segment of the population. Guided by critical race theory (CRT) and phenomenological variant of ecological systems theory (PVEST), our analyses generated five thematic categories upon which ethnicity‐race were relevant to students: learning and appreciation for diversity, ethnic‐racial identity, teacher behaviors, student treatment, and same‐race peer connections and support. Findings are discussed in terms of implications for teachers and counselors to stand in solidarity with youth in challenging hegemonic whiteness in schools. As ethnic‐racial diversity in public schools continues to increase, the promotion of a positive and affirming ethnic‐racial climate is paramount. Students of color greatly value the benefits of ethnic‐racial diversity in school, but must navigate complicated issues of identity, representation, racialization, and invisibility in mostly white school contexts, especially during the middle school period. Through critical reflection, humility, and a commitment to anti‐racist praxis, teachers and counselors are well positioned to serve as affirming mentors to students of color, and to structure curricular and relational opportunities for all students to bear witness to the lived experiences of each other.