DeMarcus Jenkins
#PoliceFreeSchools, Discourse Analysis, and Abolition
In 2020, during a moment of "racial reckoning," many school districts passed resolutions to terminate contracts with law enforcement and remove police from schools. The decision sparked contention debates across the U.S. and globally. This project examines the contours of those debates by focusing on school board meetings from 50 districts.
DeMarcus Jenkins
Mixed-Income Housing, Urban Development, and Educational Opportunities
Housing policy is education policy! This research project examines the relationship between a national housing initiative (Choice Neighborhood Initiative) and educational opportunities for low-income Black communities. Specifically, this multi-institutional research program asks (1) how mixed-income neighborhoods influence the social networks of Black, low-income residents and (2) how educational opportunities are shaped by housing policies and changes in neighborhood composition.