Confronting Conservative Critics' Mischaracterization of Transformative Praxis in Teacher Education: A Call for Collective Action

• In Event: Interrogating and Responding to Oppression in Teacher and Teacher Education

Abstract

Since 2003, I have been a target of conservative critics who have used my work inappropriately to further their criticisms and assault on multicultural education and multicultural teacher educators/scholars. Their essays and blogs have chastized me as one of the most radical proponents of Freire’s transformative learning propaganda promoting a leftist political agenda that is a danger to American teachers. This paper presents a case story that exposes the persisting affront on multicultural education and educators/activist scholars engaged in transformative and social justice work. I unpack the critics’ mischaracterizations of transformative praxis and the effects on my work in teacher education. The paper calls for a collective action for political defense in the era of increased conservatism and neoliberalism

Author

• Omiunota N. Ukpokodu, University of Missouri - Kansas City