A qualitative exploration of Black mothers’ gendered constructions of their children and their parental school involvement

•Black mothers are apprehensive about teachers’ racial bias in early childhood classrooms, but these concerns differ by gender.•Black mothers use school choice as a critical form of parental involvement.•Black mothers discuss more explicit concerns about sons’ treatment as Black boys in school than daughters’ treatment as Black girls.•As early as 1st grade, Black mothers are concerned about their sons being inappropriately placed in special education classes.