Missed Opportunities
By Peg Donohue and Amber Murphy | January 2018
Each year my first semester students write reflections about why they want to become school counselors. Many discuss ways their counselor went above and beyond for them, especially when tragedy struck. Unfortunately, others indicate that the adults in their schools were unsupportive, including their school counselors. In class, I prompt students to move to the right side of the room if they had a positive experience with school counselors and to step to the left if their experience was predominantly negative. This year, of my 20 students, all eight students of color and two who attended disadvantaged districts moved to the left, acknowledging disappointment in their counselors. All 10 suburban students moved to the right. When they looked around the room, there were audible gasps.
This stark discrepancy demonstrates a seldom acknowledged aspect of the achievement gap: access to services. Their reflections are heart-breaking because I am so proud of the field of school counseling. Surely, today’s school counselors are proactive and preventative! Now systematic school counseling programs are embraced by all!
Sadly, the transformation of our profession is not complete. Counselors are still managing unreasonable caseloads, preventing them from serving all of their students. Unfortunately, the squeakiest wheels get the oil while others may go on with unmet needs. More frustrating still is the fact that students with the highest need often get fewer resources. Positions are cut and professional development funds are scarce. Worse yet, some school counselors may not see themselves as agents of change, have high expectations of all their students, or feel impactful with their most challenging students.
The sad truth is that lack of effective practice and equity casts a poor light on our profession. The voices of my students echo this. A female African-American student who was bullied in middle and high school shared:
I resent not obtaining the help I needed. I often wonder how things could have been different if I did. I believe that I could have gained the tools needed to stand up to my tormenters and found better outlets rather than holding in my feelings which is not healthy.
A Latina woman entered our graduate program at 34 and revealed:
My school counselor was not engaging or personable. She never spoke to me about SAT testing or changing my schedule to [prepare me to] move on to college. She encouraged me to withdraw from classes that I thought were too challenging instead of guiding me through with support. As a result, I did not graduate from high school as a high honors student even though I entered as one. I could have gotten a scholarship. I chose to work because that’s the only thing my counselor told me I would benefit from.
A young white male from an urban school district saw little benefit from spending time with his school counselor:
I was getting behavior referrals every day and I was sent to the counselor. There was a stigma to the position and I felt there was no need to go to her. She asked me all sorts of questions, but I refused to answer anything. I told her if I did my classwork, I never wanted to speak to her again. She had little confidence in me and I kept my word.
A 2010 male graduate who is African American recounted:
As a freshman, I participated in sports and noticed that a lot of my teammates weren’t in any of my classes. They told me that they were in small AP/ honors classes to prepare them for college. I felt left out and met with my school counselor. She told me I wasn’t in accelerated classes because mine were easier and I would have a better chance of graduating. I explained my interest in going to college, how I wanted to play football, and earn a scholarship, I needed those classes. She told me that switching classes would only make it harder on myself.
My impassioned graduate students are acquiring the skills needed to become effective counselors who see themselves as change agents. We’ll continue to have courageous conversations about the lack of equity in schools and its impact on students. We believe making high quality and empathetic school counselors available to ALL students is a moral imperative. Reflecting on my students’ recent experiences with their school counselors demonstrates the need for CSCA to advocate for and provide high quality professional development and more equitable access to school counselors in the state.
Peg Donohue, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of counselor education and family therapy and
Amber Murphy is a Masters in School Counseling candidate, both with Central Connecticut State University.
This stark discrepancy demonstrates a seldom acknowledged aspect of the achievement gap: access to services. Their reflections are heart-breaking because I am so proud of the field of school counseling. Surely, today’s school counselors are proactive and preventative! Now systematic school counseling programs are embraced by all!
Sadly, the transformation of our profession is not complete. Counselors are still managing unreasonable caseloads, preventing them from serving all of their students. Unfortunately, the squeakiest wheels get the oil while others may go on with unmet needs. More frustrating still is the fact that students with the highest need often get fewer resources. Positions are cut and professional development funds are scarce. Worse yet, some school counselors may not see themselves as agents of change, have high expectations of all their students, or feel impactful with their most challenging students.
The sad truth is that lack of effective practice and equity casts a poor light on our profession. The voices of my students echo this. A female African-American student who was bullied in middle and high school shared:
I resent not obtaining the help I needed. I often wonder how things could have been different if I did. I believe that I could have gained the tools needed to stand up to my tormenters and found better outlets rather than holding in my feelings which is not healthy.
A Latina woman entered our graduate program at 34 and revealed:
My school counselor was not engaging or personable. She never spoke to me about SAT testing or changing my schedule to [prepare me to] move on to college. She encouraged me to withdraw from classes that I thought were too challenging instead of guiding me through with support. As a result, I did not graduate from high school as a high honors student even though I entered as one. I could have gotten a scholarship. I chose to work because that’s the only thing my counselor told me I would benefit from.
A young white male from an urban school district saw little benefit from spending time with his school counselor:
I was getting behavior referrals every day and I was sent to the counselor. There was a stigma to the position and I felt there was no need to go to her. She asked me all sorts of questions, but I refused to answer anything. I told her if I did my classwork, I never wanted to speak to her again. She had little confidence in me and I kept my word.
A 2010 male graduate who is African American recounted:
As a freshman, I participated in sports and noticed that a lot of my teammates weren’t in any of my classes. They told me that they were in small AP/ honors classes to prepare them for college. I felt left out and met with my school counselor. She told me I wasn’t in accelerated classes because mine were easier and I would have a better chance of graduating. I explained my interest in going to college, how I wanted to play football, and earn a scholarship, I needed those classes. She told me that switching classes would only make it harder on myself.
My impassioned graduate students are acquiring the skills needed to become effective counselors who see themselves as change agents. We’ll continue to have courageous conversations about the lack of equity in schools and its impact on students. We believe making high quality and empathetic school counselors available to ALL students is a moral imperative. Reflecting on my students’ recent experiences with their school counselors demonstrates the need for CSCA to advocate for and provide high quality professional development and more equitable access to school counselors in the state.
Peg Donohue, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of counselor education and family therapy and
Amber Murphy is a Masters in School Counseling candidate, both with Central Connecticut State University.