An Examination of Antiracist Language in Teacher Preparation Standards in California

• In Event: Pluralizing, Democratizing, and Decolonizing Teacher Education

Abstract

While conversations about antiracism at an individual level have become increasingly centered across public discourses in the United States, community organizers, educators, and scholars continue to call for broader, policy-level applications of antiracist commitments. In this paper, the issue of antiracism in educational policy is approached through an examination of teacher preparation standards in California. Unpacking the discursive positioning of concepts such as “race,” “diversity,” “equity,” and “inclusion,” within the California Teaching Performance Expectations (TPEs) reveals that the explicit use of concepts such as “race,” “diversity,” “equity,” and “inclusion,” within the California Teaching Performance Expectations (TPEs) is nearly non-existent. Recommendations for more explicitly grounding teacher preparation program standards in antiracist commitments are offered.

Authors

• Heather L. Horsley, California State University - Fresno

• Earl Aguilera, California State University - East Bay