Statistics show that it’s not easy being a Black teacher. The Black Female Project has learned this through sheer data over the past several years. On Wednesday, August 14, the Project convened supporters of its Teacher Truth initiative from all across the U.S. for its fourth annual Perspectives event.
Great School Voices joined Black educators and other concerned community members from New York City, Chicago, Atlanta, St. Louis, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and, of course, from Northern and Southern California for a virtual forum, as The Black Female Project shined a light on the numbers and their voices.
With an enlightening discussion facilitated by the indelible Dr. Micia Mosely of The Black Teacher Project, the online event uplifted stories and perspectives of Black Teachers from all over the country as they go about their work, educating and caring for our most precious gifts – our children. The stories and data also show that the classroom isn’t the only thing with which these heroines must contend.
Here’s a word from the room where it happened…
Dr. Tameka McGlawn, Black Female Project’s Strategic Advisor for Research, led the presentation of the research, which included over 300 teachers polled starting in 2021 to uncover the truths of their teaching experiences. Respondents were asked to think of their experiences dating as far back as 2019, to respond to the following categories:
- Prevalence of types/categories of workplace racism
- Sources of pressure to decrease DEI as part of professional practice
- Conditions: Reports of Accessing Available Supports
- Celebrations: Interactions that Sustain Professional Capacity
Dr. Britte Cheng, a research presenter alongside Dr. McGlawn called the numbers related to teachers experiencing racism, “excessively high.” She noted, “While the numbers seem to be moving around and decreasing, what is true is that not a single respondent went through the survey and said they did not experience racism.”
The group also saw presentations by Black teachers including topics like what it means to thrive at work, codeswitching, safe spaces, microaggressions, and being the only teacher of color in a school or district.
Confirming the reality of racism by the numbers was not surprising, and we appreciate this brave and brilliant group of researchers and educators for this body of work. We’re especially proud that Dr. Mosely and the Black Teacher Project are based here in Oakland, and we encourage you to click the links to learn more about this riveting event, discussion, and data.
Click HERE to read a full and captivating REFLECTION on the event.
Click HERE to watch the full Teacher Truth Perspectives 2024 Watch Party and Collection Update event on YouTube (or click below).
We also hope that you will offer your input and share your own voice about improving the State of Black education in Oakland by competing this brief survey:
State of Education In Oakland (SoBEO)’s Black Paper Survey
