A Critical Examination of the Racialization of Chinese Educators in Dual Language Bilingual Education Programs

• In Event: Asian American Educators and Families Rewriting Educational Narratives

Abstract

Drawing on Asian Critical Race Theory, this qualitative study analyzes the racialized experiences of Chinese educators in dual language bilingual education (DLBE) programs in a predominantly White educational context. The findings reveal three patterns of marginalization: linguistic discrimination that devalues their accented English, systematic dismissal of their pedagogical expertise from China, and structural vulnerability stemming from precarious immigration status. The study demonstrates how racial hierarchies persist within ostensibly multicultural educational spaces and contributes to understanding how Asian educators navigate and resist racialization. This research has important implications for developing more equitable dual language programs that genuinely value the knowledge and experiences of transnational educators.

Authors

• Wenyang Sun, University of Utah

• Xiao Hu, University of Utah