Cacophony of Silencing: Examining How Teacher Educators Address Hate and White Supremacy

• In Event: Naming Injustice, Confronting White Supremacy: Examining Issues of Diversity in Preservice Teacher Education

Abstract

Hate and white supremacy are at the core of the many “isms” endemic to our society and teacher preparation programs have often fallen short in addressing them. This paper reflects a qualitative inquiry into how silencing shapes the ways teacher educators address hate and white supremacy with teacher candidates. Drawing upon semi-structured interviews with teacher educators who state a commitment to equity-oriented preparation, the findings suggest that they experience silencing from colleagues, university administrators, students, and, for some participants, self-silencing. Their personal histories, feelings of agency, and institutional norms inform how they respond to that silencing and, ultimately, what their teacher candidates experience in preparation.

Authors

• Joni Kolman, California State University, San Marcos

• Carol Battle, University of California - San Diego

• Laura Vernikoff, Touro College

• Jenna Kamrass Morvay, Miami University - Oxford