DSW Showcase Student Presentation

Jasmine Collins

A Deeper Look into the Systemic Barriers of the American Education System for African American Students

Concentration - Social Work Education

Abstract

This presentation will take a deeper look into the American Education System as it relates to African American students and systemic oppression. Within this presentation the following question will be answered: Is the American school system designed for African American and minority students to fail? The barriers that will be explored are standardized testing, learning styles, and the school-to-prison pipeline. With these presented barriers of systemic oppression, we will explore a conceptual program entitled “The Psychological Safety Model.” The program model will address five key pillars which include: standardized testing, learning styles, the school-to-prison pipeline, the overall school culture/climate, and the implementation of a SEL curriculum. This program model will also cover the strength-based theory and the empowerment theory. Ultimately, this program model will be presented in the form of a training module. The goal is to address and put an end to systemic racism and oppression for African American students K-12.

Biography

Jasmine Collins is a Louisville, Kentucky native and a graduate of the University of Kentucky with a BASW and a minor in Communications, a graduate of Spalding University with a MSW, and a current Social Work Doctoral candidate at the University of Kentucky. In addition, Jasmine also holds a certification for School Social Work and Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools.

Jasmine has been a trailblazer in the social work field for the past 12 years. Jasmine has positively impacted hundreds of youths, adults, and families as it relates to social services, mental health, wellness, and trauma-informed care. Jasmine has had experience with home-based services, school-based services, in-patient hospital services, and community non-profit organizations and services.

Currently Jasmine is a Social Emotional Learning/Trauma Consultant for the Jefferson County Public School District. Within this role, she provides trainings for teachers and staff district-wide on trauma-informed care. She also helps to implement SEL curriculum and supports for schools throughout the year. Furthermore, Jasmine is the creator and co-founder of the Louisville based 501(c)3 non-profit organization, KY Elite Youth Arts and Education, Inc.

Jasmine’s area of research and capstone project focuses on the systemic oppression and unjust barriers for students of color within the American education system. She takes a deeper look at barriers such as learning styles, standardized testing, and the school to prison pipeline to ultimately challenge the inequitable system of oppression to help push students of color to success. Ultimately, it is Jasmine’s passion to advocate for change and fight against systemic oppression.