“Teachers Don’t Really Encourage it”: A Critical Race Theory Analysis of High School Students’ of Color Perceptions of the Teaching Profession

ABSTRACT

Seeking to enhance efforts to diversify the teaching profession, this article centers the educational experiences of high school Students of Color. Using a Critical Race Theory framework, this study examines the relationship between Students’ of Color school experiences and their perceptions of the teaching profession. Findings reveal that these students perceive the teaching profession as a boring, undervalued, and white profession, and that conversations about pursuing college and exploring a career in teaching are absent from the classroom or presented as only the purview of white students. Race conscious recommendations to encourage and support Students of Color to pursue college and to explore a teaching career are presented.

KEYWORDS:

• Racism
• Teaching
• College and Career Readiness
• Students of Color

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Nevada Department of Education (NDE) Great Teaching and Leading Fund (GTLF) [17-248-4100].

Notes on contributors

Norma A. Marrun

Norma A. Marrun is an Assistant Professor of Cultural Studies, International Education, and Multicultural Education (CSIEME) in the Department of Teaching and Learning at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Her research focuses on recruiting and retaining Students of Color into the teaching profession and Latina/o/x educational issues. 

Tara J. Plachowski

Tara J. Plachowski is a Research Associate at Branch Alliance for Educator Diversity. Her research interests are Candidate of Color retention in teacher preparation, Teacher of Color retention, teacher induction, critical multicultural teacher education, climate and culture in Pk-12 and higher education, and inclusive pedagogy. 

De’Ana R. Mauldin

De'Ana R. Mauldin is a Doctoral Student and Instructor of Cultural Studies, International Education, and Multicultural Education (CSIEME) in the Department of Teaching and Learning at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Her research focuses on Teachers and Students of Color and Black teacher resilience. 

Christine Clark

Christine Clark is a Professor and Senior Scholar for Multicultural Education in the Department of Teaching and Learning at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Her research agenda includes integrating critical unwhitening and decarceration consciousnesses into sociopolitically-located/Ethnic Studies-informed multicultural teacher preparation, licensure, and professional development curricula.