Liberation Deferred: How Do Schools Impact Identity Creation in Students? A University of Chicago Woodlawn Charter High School Case Study

This thesis explores how schools influence Black students' political identity and social morality, focusing on the University of Chicago Woodlawn Charter School. Through 32 student interviews, classroom observations, and course material review, the study investigates the extent to which culturally responsive education supports identity development and civic engagement. While the school incorporates Black-centered curricula and symbolic imagery, these efforts are often undercut by limited access, under-resourcing, and uneven institutional support. Seniors exposed to courses like "Black Thought and Senior Thesis" demonstrate deeper political awareness, while younger students show interest but lack the language and frameworks to critically engage. The findings reveal a pattern of delayed exposure to liberation-centered education, leading to fragmented identity development. To close this gap, the thesis recommends integrating culturally relevant pedagogy and critical theory across grade levels, supported by structural investment in staffing, curriculum design, and extracurricular access.