The literature tells us that parental involvement affects academic achievement. However, much of the literature on parental involvement focuses on the involvement of mothers with limited information about the involvement of fathers, especially African American fathers. The parental involvement literature on African American fathers is insufficient compared to their White counterparts. African American fathers do not have a "voice" in the literature on parental involvement. A racial and gender bias exists in the literature on parental involvement that marginalizes the voice of African American fathers. African American Fathers' Involvement in their Children's Education seeks to understand the relationship that African American fathers have with the education of their children by using Critical Race Theory as a theoretical framework to privilege the "voice" of African American fathers. This text focuses on the contributions that African American fathers make in the lives of their children and families, challenges the master deficient narrative, and humanizes African American fathers. This book purposefully and unapologetically portrays African American fathers as the brilliant, excellent human beings they are.
Tasha L. Alston is chief diversity and inclusion officer at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.
Foreword by Rahman J. Dukes: Be proud, black man. Introduction Chapter 1: Literature Review Chapter 2: African American Fathers' Involvement in Their Children's Education: Priveleging the "Voice" Of Black Fathers' Through Narrative and Critical Race Theory Chapter 3: Engaged, But Not in School: Black Fathers' Participation in their Children's Learning Chapter 4: Conclusion, Implications and Strategies
Alston has put to rest any questions centered on African Americans involvement in children's education. This work explores the various ways that parents can support children's education and encourages the reader to let go of rigid historical views of what it means to be supportive of children's education. I would argue that this book counters the decades long negative narratives of absenteeism and incarceration placed upon African American fathers, and must be regarded as a greatly important contribution to the African American fatherhood literature. It is an essential contribution to fatherhood scholarship and analysis. -- Ricardo Nazario y Colon, Chief Diversity Officer at Western Carolina University and Chair of the University of North Carolina System's Diversity and Inclusion Council
