Cooperant Learning Podcast | Equity in Public Education | Malika Pritchett, Sarah Pinkleman, Shahla Ala’i-Rosales

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Summary: In this episode we were joined by Dr. Malika Pritchett, Dr. Sarah Pinkelman, and Dr. Shahla Ala’i-Rosales to discuss their paper, “Behavior Analysis and Equity in Public Education: An Abolitionist Approach,” published in Behavior and Social Issues.

Our discussion explored what an abolitionist approach means for behavior analysts working in public schools and why addressing individual behavior without examining the larger systems surrounding that behavior may fall short. We discussed social justice, public education, behavior analysis, and the responsibility that comes with intervening in complex human systems.

Guests bio:
Dr. Malika Pritchett is an Assistant Professor of Practice in the Department of Applied Behavioral Science at the University of Kansas. She is the director of Tidepools Ecobehavioral Laboratory, an applied research lab dedicated to the understanding and improvement of the human condition through conducting research about prevention of challenging behaviors, stimulus control and designing optimal environmental arrangements, and human empowerment and agency.

Dr. Sarah Pinkelman is an associate professor in the Department of Psychology at Western Michigan University and currently serving as the Behavior Analysis program assistant chair.  An overarching theme in Dr. Pinkelman’s research and applied work is bridging the research-to-practice gap in public education. She is interested in (a) socially and ecologically valid approaches to improving teacher and staff implementation of behavior analytic interventions, (b) scaling-up effective and equitable programming in school systems, (c) school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SWPBIS), (d) implementation science as it relates to evidence-based practice in schools, and (e) research ethics and single-case research methodology.

Shahla Alai-Rosales, PHD, BCBA-D, CPBA-AP is a Professor in the Department of Behavior Analysis at the University of North Texas. She has taught courses in Texas, Europe and the Middle East on a variety of topics, including ethics, early autism intervention, parent training, behavioral systems, applied research methods, technology transfer, behavior change techniques, and cultural diversity. Shahla has published and presented research on social justice, ethics in early intervention, play and social skills, family harmony, and supervision and mentoring. Shahla has more than four decades of experience working with families and has trained hundreds of behavior analysts. 

Resources:
Pritchett, M., Pinkelman, S.E., Ala’i-Rosales, S., & Zimmerman, D.M. (2025). Behavior Analysis and Equity in Public Education: An Abolitionist Approach. Behavior and Social Issues, 34, 388 – 412.

Pritchett M, Ala’i-Rosales S, Cruz AR, Cihon TM. Social Justice is the Spirit and Aim of an Applied Science of Human Behavior: Moving from Colonial to Participatory Research Practices. Behav Anal Pract. 2021 Jun 22;15(4):1074-1092. doi: 10.1007/s40617-021-00591-7. PMID: 34178290; PMCID: PMC8218790.

Laura P. Graham, “Safe Spaces” and “Brave Spaces”: The Case for Creating Law School Classrooms That Are Both, 76 U. Mia. L. Rev. 84 (2021).
Available at: https://repository.law.miami.edu/umlr…

Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/bo…

Dr. Bettina Love Website: https://bettinalove.com

Dr. Ruha Benjamin Website: https://www.ruhabenjamin.com

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