Girls Don’t Go to School: Teresita’s Counter-Narrative to Heal Public School Trauma From the 1940s

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 11:40 am Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: Uncovering Student Voices (Table 13)

Abstract

This study is a life history of the schooling experiences of a Tejana who grew up on the Westside of San Antonio. Through testimonios, she shares her triumphs and tribulations with navigating the education system. The qualitative research in this life history approach highlights the importance of documenting these stories to preserve them for future generations. Findings from this project note the underpinnings of family history and early literacy practices, the path individuals take to overcoming roadblocks, and ultimately the story of survival and how individuals move past the history of oppressive practices that once marginalized them in school. This life history research project will inform researchers about the importance of preserving and learning from family history.

Author

• Melissa A. Garza, Texas A&M University - San Antonio