Asian American Teachers, Anti-Asian Racism, and COVID-19

• In Event: Sustaining Commitments: Identity and Social Justice in Teacher Education

Abstract

Anti-Asian racism during COVID-19 adversely affected Asian Americans across multiple sectors, yet little is known about its impact on Asian Americans teachers, who represent less than 2% of the profession. We draw on original survey data (n = 46) to examine pre-service and in-service teachers’ experiences with anti-Asian racism, with attention to changes during the pandemic. Our findings show nearly half of Asian American teachers reported being called racist names, treated differently, and made fun of for being Asian, though less than 25% indicated that such experiences increased due to the pandemic. We also found differences by gender and birthplace. We discuss these findings in the context of historical harm and future remedies for addressing inequalities in teacher experiences.

Authors

• Grace MyHyun Kim, University of Texas at Austin

• North Cooc, University of Texas at Austin