PK-16 Education Equity
Education is one of the greatest determinants of one’s quality of life. In the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case, the U.S. Supreme Court set the stage to end segregation by race in all public schools in the nation, establishing that the Jim Crow era separate-but-equal doctrine was unjust and not equal at all. Yet, today we still see inequities in the racial demographics of our schools as well as in the resources and disciplinary actions that children of color receive in comparison to their white counterparts.
The Center seeks to change the preK-16 educational landscape by partnering with educational equity experts and Xavier students and faculty to set them up for success and leadership with a focus on equitable outcomes for children of color. Restorative practices training and programming will be developed to advance equity in educational policies and practice, limit bias, improve cultural humility, and increase the number of educators of color in the school system.
The Center for Equity, Justice, and the Human Spirit conducts original research to impact policy, change practice and inspire purpose in the areas of preK-16 education equity, criminal justice reform and environmental sustainability. The Center’s research and advocacy are tools for transformational social change and uplifting of the human spirit.
Dr. Erica Peyton-Nunnery is an accomplished educator, having served students and families here in New Orleans and in St. Louis, MO, for over 15 years. Working in education, both teaching and leading, has always been a passion and priority for her. Erica’s personal experiences as an educational leader in K-12 settings, experience as a teacher in the Recovery School District-New Orleans post Hurricane Katrina, and her personal experience as a student in a school district where educational equity did not exist, has shaped how she approaches her work with The Center for Equity, Justice, and the Human Spirit at Xavier University of LA.
Dr. Peyton-Nunnery’s goal is to enhance the educational experience of students from overlooked and multicultural backgrounds through her interactions with families, other educators, and community partners, by closing the opportunity gap through her work on educational equity.
Erica earned her bachelor's degree in Secondary Education from Dillard University and her master's degree in Educational Leadership from the University of New England. Dr. Peyton-Nunnery completed both her educational specialist degree in Curriculum and Instruction and her doctoral degree in Leadership in Teaching and Learning, from Missouri Baptist University.