Abstract

An expanding body of literature demonstrates that Asheville suffers from the largest opportunity gap in North Carolina14 . The opportunity gap acknowledges the inequitable distribution of resources and opportunities resulting in different achievement outcomes6 . A combination of factors including, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and community wealth contribute to or perpetuates lower educational attainment as a result of the complex systems which operate in society and the classroom6 . Utilizing the language of “opportunity gap” as opposed to the “achievement gap” works to address the systemic barriers which perpetuate lower educational outcomes rather than the achievement of the individual. The concentration of socially and economically disadvantaged students in segregated neighborhoods results in attending a segregated school system and contributes to the growing opportunity gap in the United States15 . This research is grounded in theory which discusses white habitus, the socialization process of residential and social segregation of whites from Blacks2 and opportunity hoarding, an action which asserts that group behaviors result in restricting some individuals’ or groups’ access to desirable goods, services, or privileges18 . The purpose of this study is to evaluate white parents’ perceptions of the opportunity gap in Asheville and identify the unconscious contributions to educational inequities. This study uses primary data collection and analysis using qualitative interview collection. Prior research shows evidence that white students fare better than their Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) peers in the context of academic attainment both during traditional school enrollment and the shift to online learning as a result of COVID-19. Findings conclude that white parents in Asheville exhibit socially and residentially segregated behavior despite the desire to expose their children to diversity and possess minimal knowledge of the presence of the opportunity gap which disproportionately affects Black students. In addition, this paper makes recommendations that leaders could draw on to address the inequities within the Asheville school system.

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