Marginalized and Advantaged Parents’ Perceptions of Identity-Safety Cues in K-12 Classrooms

Across four studies (N = 1,427), we examined the impact of identity-safety cues (Black Lives Matter or Pride posters) on marginalized (Black, LGBTQ+) and advantaged (White, cisgender-heterosexual) parents’ evaluations of elementary classrooms. Black (Study 1) and LGBTQ+ parents (Studies 2 and 3a) perceived identity-relevant safety cues as more appropriate and as prompting more positive education-related outcomes (child belonging, classroom interest) than advantaged parents, who preferred control classrooms. Effects among cisgender-heterosexual parents were consistent between third- and eighth-grade classrooms (Study 3b); despite expressing less classroom interest in and finding Pride classrooms inappropriate across grades, cisgender-heterosexual parents’ expectations of child belonging, child grade, and teacher support did not differ between classrooms. Brief qualitative analyses assessed parents’ beliefs on appropriate inclusive imagery and who should educate on diversity-related information. We highlight identity-based disparities in perceptions of educational inclusivity efforts in the context of current movements toward heightened parental control in education.