Castañeda v. Pickard : the struggle for an equitable education - one family's experience with resistance.

Abstract

Castañeda v. Pickard (1981) advanced the educational rights of language minority students by establishing the three-prong national standard known as the Castañeda Test. This narrative inquiry study was conducted utilizing qualitative research methods to uncover the story behind the Castañeda v. Pickard (1981) case. Specifically, the Castañeda family members served as key informants in sharing their personal narratives and making known their experiences in relationship to the educational opportunities offered to language minority students three decades ago. The purpose of this narrative study was to magnify and gain understanding of the Castañeda family’s personal experiences. In documenting the Castañeda story, this body of research provides a voice for language minority students both past and present. This study was rooted in the examination of power and privilege and utilized Giroux’s notion of resistance in the analysis of the Castañeda story. Findings reveal each family member withstood distinctly unique experiences and yet shared similar themes of fear, acceptance, and voice, indicating there is a need for educators to create welcoming and inclusive classrooms for culturally and linguistically diverse student populations. In addition, findings suggest all participants shared an awareness of oppression and structures of domination within their educational and social environments while crediting Mr. Roy Castañeda for the intentionality of the lawsuit.