Positions Not People: The Cumulative Impacts of Systematic Dehumanizing of Educators

• In Event: Anti-Blackness in K-12 Education: In Pursuit of Equity

Abstract

Teacher burnout typically peaks at five years into the profession. Post-COVID-19, teacher attrition has surged, often attributed to factors like student trauma, low pay, school violence, and long hours. Another significant stressor is the rigid bureaucracy in school systems, which creates conflict between teachers and leaders, harming students. This study, using Critical Race Theory and organizational theory, investigates the root causes of compassion fatigue and chronic stress in two educators from a racially diverse high school in the Mountain West. It argues that neglecting the professional pedagogy required for student needs dehumanizes teachers, treating them as interchangeable positions rather than unique professionals, leading to fatigue and adverse student outcomes.

Authors

• Nicole C. Wilson Steffes, University of Utah & Westminster University

• Katie Nitka, Salt Lake City School District