Two years ago, before my son graduated from high school, he attended a girls’ volleyball game at his school where the theme of the night was “Wife Beaters and Doo Rags.” A “wife beater” is a slang name for a men’s tank undershirt and a “doo rag” is a head scarf that men wear. Both are associated with Black men in poor neighborhoods. Imagine a gymnasium full of white kids all wearing this. My son’s only comment to me when I asked him how he felt was, “Mom, I told them that’s racist!”
I couldn’t help but think that if the school my son attended had more Black teachers who would have recognized the harmful stereotypes and cultural appropriation involved, nights like this would not happen. Research has shown that teachers of color are more likely to use culturally responsive teaching techniques, which translate into improved academic and social-emotional outcomes for all students, and especially for students of color.
Unfortunately, according to a recent analysis, even though 37% of Pennsylvania’s students are people of color, only 6% of the state’s teachers are people of color, and less than 2% are male teachers of color. And in the midst of a national teacher shortage that continues to worsen, hiring more teachers of color will continue to become more challenging. It may take decades for our teacher workforce to be more reflective of the student population.
The good news? White teachers can learn culturally responsive teaching practices as well. A recent study found teachers of all races trained at historically Black colleges and universities, which long have incorporated such techniques, achieve equally strong student outcomes. And Pennsylvania recently approved new teacher training regulations, with bipartisan support, to ensure that all teachers receive a solid foundation in culturally responsive practice. Pennsylvania’s new culturally relevant and sustaining education competencies emphasize a belief in all students’ abilities, strong and positive relationships with students and families, respect for different cultures and awareness of the impact of harmful actions such as a student event that draws upon racial stereotypes.
The bad news? With the help of an out-of-state law firm that specializes in frivolous “culture war” court cases, three western Pennsylvania school districts, which collectively employ only one teacher of color, are suing to stop implementation of the culturally relevant competencies. A few state lawmakers also are trying to block the changes.
As a history teacher, I worked hard to ensure that every lesson I taught was infused with details that reflected the historical roles played by all cultures in my classroom and that all my students saw themselves reflected in the content I taught. Now I coach other teachers to hold all students to high expectations and provide differentiated support when they need it. If all districts implement the culturally relevant competencies with fidelity, it will go a long way toward ensuring that even if a child never has a teacher of color, the teacher they do have will create an inclusive and asset-based environment where their needs are met and where they learn to get along and treat with respect those who are different from them.
Five months after the volleyball game, my son’s school put on another night with the same theme for a game against a school in the Black and brown neighboring district where I teach. My heart broke imagining the anger and anguish those boys must have felt walking into that gymnasium. My son chose to leave the game.
Our students of color, like all students, deserve to be able to trust that their educators will recognize and prevent experiences that actively cause them harm. This starts with ensuring that all teachers are trained to practice culturally relevant and sustaining education. Now more than ever, the Department of Education and General Assembly, along with school districts and educator preparation programs, must remain committed to training educators to be welcoming, inclusive and affirming of all students, so that these teachers can in turn teach their students to navigate an increasingly diverse world.
Dr. Erica R. Hampton is the lead teacher at Stewart Middle School in the Norristown School District and a 2021-22 Teach Plus Pennsylvania Policy Fellow.
