Abstract
The lack of culturally responsive educational practices in public schools across the United States continues to fuel institutionalized and systemic disparities in and outside the classroom. This consequently stifles the mental growth and damages the wellbeing of marginalized students in comparison to their peers. Institutionalized racism threatens these students by categorizing them as “deficient” if they do not or cannot adhere to traditional, Eurocentric teaching methods and curriculum, which simultaneously promotes educational hegemony. This paper addresses how the level of institutional oppression present within public schools determines the degree to which students of color experience mental illnesses and health concerns. The ongoing usage of culturally dismissive teaching practices–including disciplinary egotism and the dehumanization of Black English Vernacular (BEV)–widens the mental wellness gap for students of color and places them at a great disadvantage in regards to academic achievement and social development. Furthermore, this paper suggests a list of recommendations that should be implemented on the local, state and federal levels in order to enhance culturally relevant practices in schools and improve students’ engagement with the U.S. public education system.