Tensions using the “master’s tools”: A case study analysis of two middle school dual language bilingual education programs

Despite the plethora of research advocating for culturally sustaining pedagogical practices, schooling in the United States continues to perpetuate systems of white supremacy that alienate racially and linguistically minoritized students. Considering that DLBE programs challenge whiteness by disrupting the hegemony of English, we believe that when (re)rooted to the race-radical roots of bilingual education, DLBE holds a space of transformation where minoritized communities can thrive toward self-determination. Through a theoretical framework that braids Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies (CSP) and critical racial-consciousness, this case study of two middle school dual language bilingual education (MSDLBE) programs in California examines how culturally sustaining pedagogies (CSP), including counter-hegemonic literacies are fostered within middle school DLBE programs. Teacher and student interviews and classroom observations suggest that systemic factors such as high-stakes testing and district-adopted curriculum influence teachers' interpretation and prioritization of sociocultural competence, consequently, reproducing racial liberal practices. In this article, we call for pedagogical approaches that intentionally disrupt systems of white supremacy within DLBE by placing the experiences of minoritized communities at the forefront.