School as a Context for Racial Harm and Repair in a Post-2020 World

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Sunday 11:40 am Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: Leadership at the Crossroads: Navigating Race, Racism, Power, and Community-Driven Leadership (Table 8)

Abstract

Since 2020’s “racial reckoning,” systemic racism in schools is impossible to ignore. Education researchers must describe and understand how racial harm affects teachers and students, and how schools can foster repair. The current study explores teachers’ experiences of racial bias in schools and the resources they utilize to cope. Data come from a larger mixed methods project on the relationship between racism-related stressors and overall stress. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 16 elementary school teachers to delve into their narratives about racism experiences, coping strategies, and personal and professional impacts. Teachers reported experiencing racial bias directly and vicariously, witnessing bias towards and among their colleagues, and towards and among their students. Emotional and instrumental supports helped them navigate racial bias.

Authors

• Olga Pagan, New York University

• Elizabeth Blair Cox, New York University