Do Not Obey in Advance: Teachers co-construction and instruction of ambiguous or authoritarian policy language

• In Event: Teachers’ Decision Making in Precarious Contexts

Abstract

The paper examines how K–12 teachers interpret and navigate ambiguous or authoritarian educational policies—such as Florida’s Stop WOKE Act (FL HB 7), Parents Bill of Rights (“Don’t Say Gay,” FL HB 1557), book‑banning statutes (FL HB 1467), and anti‑pronouns legislation (FL HB 1069). Drawing on interviews with two pre‑service and two in‑service Florida teachers, this study explores how educators co‑construct meaning and instruction in classrooms constrained by vague policy language. These discursive ambiguities pressure teachers to make instructional decisions in advance, shaping pedagogy and professional identity. Findings reveal that some resist through subtle, inclusive classroom strategies, while others reluctantly comply. The study underscores the centrality of teacher agency in contested policy contexts and contributes to understanding how professional identity informs critical engagement with state mandates in K–12 schooling.

Authors

• Sara Michael-Luna, University of Central Florida

• Michele Lynn Regalla, University of Central Florida