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“Not Backing Down”: A Narrative Inquiry Of Black Women Teachers In Urban Schools
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Thesis/Dissertation
Date
2022
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Policy, Organizational and Leadership Studies
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DOI
http://dx.doi.org/10.34944/dspace/7700
Abstract
Recent events- including the overlapping pandemics of hyper-visible racism, policebrutality, economic downturn, climate crises, and the Covid-19 virus- have reified the
significance of teacher diversity to counter structural inequalities in education. Of
particular concern are low-income urban schools. While greater teacher diversity exists
in urban schools, Black teachers - and Black women in particular- experience high
turnover compared to their white and male counterparts. Through a contextual analysis
of Black women teachers, the purpose of this study was to explore intersectionality and
identity negotiation by investigating whether professional experiences and decisionmaking
were moderated by ethno-racial and gender identities. Multiple sources of data
were collected regarding eight self-identified Black women of the African diaspora with
at least two years of experience in urban schools. Analysis of demographic surveys,
open-ended responses, and three rounds of semi-structured interviews yielded ten themes:
1) supplementing curriculum with counter-narratives and role models, 2) facilitating
conversations about race-related current events, 3) teaching the truth about American
history, 4) guiding students to navigate a racialized society, 5) experiencing microaggressions
in interracial interactions, 6) disengaging from diversity initiatives, 7)
participating in supportive intra-racial relationships, 8) avoiding gendered racial
stereotypes, 9) pursuing desired ends, and 10) redefining professionalism. The result of
this study adds to the research base regarding intersectionality and identity negotiation as
factors influencing teachers of color in urban schools. Additional recommendations are
also given to guide research, practice, and policy.
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