Teachers' Decision-Making Around Leaving Their Classrooms and Curriculum Choices in the Wake of Divisive Concepts

• In Event: Teaching in the Shadow of "Divisive Concepts": The Impact of Anti-Equity Legislation on Teachers' Work

Abstract

On June 8th, 2021, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed HF802, a law providing for “requirements related to racism or sexism trainings at, and diversity and inclusion efforts by, governmental agencies and entities, school districts, and public postsecondary educational institutions” (An Act Relating to: Anti-Racism and Anti-Sexism, 2021). This legislation casts a dark shadow over the work of justice-centered teachers in Iowa. Three of the most significant impacts this legislation has had on equity-focused teachers include changes in career path, the implementation of equity-centered curriculum, and limitations to professional development.

Following passage of H.F.802, conditions for teachers in Des Moines schools became precarious. Equity-focused teachers found themselves taking stock of their schools’ climate and culture surrounding diversity and inclusion. These panelists chose to leave their classrooms making intradistrict transfers following H.F.802. These teachers represent larger intradistrict movements, as well as trends that show teachers choosing to leave Iowa or the field altogether (Education Commission of the States, 2019, Learning Policy Institute, 2018). This trend reduces instructional quality and diversity, as BIPOC and veteran teachers take their experience with them to new positions (Carver-Thomas, 2017; Dunn, 2017; Ingersoll, et. al, 2018). The teachers on this panel were motivated to transfer to schools that have a known commitment to diversity or a larger BIPOC staff. These cases signal a trend that could lead to the concentration of equity and justice-minded educators in some schools while widening equity gaps in others.

Additionally, educators are negotiating difficult terrain as they consider how to discuss the multi-dimensional truth of United States history, gender, and society despite being prohibited by state law from naming systemic racism and sexism in their curriculum. This case illustrates the implementation of elective courses featuring gender and ethnic studies in all Des Moines high schools. Following the passage of HF802 these courses appear to be in violation of Iowa law. This case will interrogate the ways teachers are balancing the need to protect their livelihoods while remaining vigilant in their efforts to end curriculum violence and trauma. These teachers will make the case that more intentional training and supplemental resources are needed to help teachers redesign instruction to avoid violating the law while attempting to cling to the socially just and responsible schools their students deserve.

Finally, these panelists will share the impact of divisive concepts on teacher professional development. While the law does not prohibit voluntary training and professional development, it makes any mandatory training on systemic racism, sexism, and privilege explicitly illegal. Consequently, this case will highlight the way Des Moines teachers’ professional development and consciousness-raising among educators is impacted when leadership hesitates in providing justice-driven training to staff, thereby perpetuating school as a source of trauma for many students and staff, and shifting the costly burdens of this law squarely onto the shoulders of teachers who are at risk in the shadow of the divisive concepts legislation.

Authors

• Zipporah Smith, Merrill Middle School

• Stacy Schmidt