Preservice Teachers Reacting to Divisive Concepts Legislation

• In Event: Teachers as Policy Experts, Agents, Activists, and Advocates

Abstract

Objectives/Purposes: This paper analyzes preservice ELA teachers’ responses to a national online dialogue about anti-CRT legislation and book banning. The dialogue provided an opportunity for preservice teachers (PSTs) from across the United States to engage in shared readings, post their thoughts on/analysis online, and then review and respond to posts. The purpose of this paper is to share reactions from PSTs engaged in this online discussion and discuss implications.

Theoretical Framework: Based on interviews with educators who engaged in #USvsHate, a project focused on creating anti-hate messages that promote the value of all people and cultures, Pollock and colleagues (2022) offer five forms of “backup” teachers used effectively when facing pushback. In contexts where pushback is severe, censorship is high, and a teacher has very little support, they can still engage in stealth backup, or small, often subversive ways to integrate criticality into curricula. Subspace backup occurs when a teacher creates an after school club or elective class where critical conversations can occur. Student-led backup follows student-initiated concerns, and students lead discussion. Additionally, school leader backup occurs when a school leader actively advances a school culture of criticality, sharing this stance with students, parents, and others. The final method is system backup, which means connecting with unions, professional organizations, and other external groups.

Methods and Data Sources: Qualitative methods were used to collect and analyze data. Data sources included preservice teachers’ posts to Padlet, post-discussion reflective writing, and field notes the authors generated about the experience. We considered forms of backup (Pollock et al., 2022) when analyzing preservice teachers’ posts to the national online dialogue.

Results: Findings show a majority of preservice teachers (PSTs) who participated in the national dialogue are committed to teaching truth about race and history but are worried about pushback from parents and teachers. For example, a PST from Massachusetts said, “For some reason, I find this entire topic to be challenging and so divisive that I shy away from it.” When PSTs voiced intending to combat censorship from these bills, they said they would use stealth backup or student-led backup, such as one PST from Georgia who wrote, “Teachers can get around the laws by providing the tools for the students but having them do the research. You are not offering an opinion to students but providing facts from history.” There were less examples of subspace and systems backup, and PSTs noted not having school leader backup, especially in conservative contexts. Results also indicate PSTs are differently positioned on this issue depending on their local and state context.

Significance: The study is significant to understanding how ELA PSTs respond to anti-CRT legislation and book banning. As future educators, their imagined actions or requests for “backup” suggest they may need more support in theorizing and then developing methods of backup. Implications suggest a need to bring practicing teachers to the conversation to anchor the conversation in the realities of the classroom--as well as concrete examples of strategic and successful resistance to oppressive policies.

Authors

• Nadia Behizadeh, Georgia State University
  Presenting Author

• Anthony Lovell Downer, City Schools of Decatur
  Presenting Author

• Melissa Schieble, Hunter College - CUNY
  Presenting Author