Racial Disproportionality as Experienced by Educators of Color

Abstract

Even before working in school as a teacher or administrator, many factors were influential in the preparation process. Given that the vast majority of teachers in the workforce come from traditional university education programs, the role that schools of education play in graduating people of color to enter the teaching force is important to examine. This qualitative case study sought to answer the following research question: What are the perceptions of educators of color with respect to their pre-service education preparation? This study falls within a broader study on the overall perceptions of educators of color with respect to the racial disproportionality and its impact on the educator pipeline and schools. Both from literature and the counter narratives of these educators of color, these topics emerged as salient: the racial diversity of universities and schools of education, the impact of barrier exams, the curriculum of schools of education, and the sense of belonging of people of color in universities and their schools of education. Semi-structured interviews with 12 educators of color in the Cityside Public Schools were examined through the lens of Critical Race Theory (CRT). Findings supported what was found in the literature regarding demographics in schools of education not favoring people of color, exams required to get into school of education being barriers, and people of color feeling disconnected from their universities in a number of ways. Further, participant interviews revealed the additional barrier posed by exams needed to gain teaching certification, the substantial value of connections at various points throughout the pre-service experience, and how important practicum and internship experiences are to aspiring educators.