EQUITY SERIES
When: Monday, June 12th from 9:30am-11:00am
Presenter: Sharon Goins and David Lawrence, Dayton Public Schools
Content Areas: Open to all content areas
Focus Topics: Equity
Grades Levels: Preservice and Current Teachers
Description: The demographic statistics enumerating the racial composition of teachers in the United States are staggering. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES, 2020), 80% of the K-12 teaching force is White. The next wave of teacher candidates enrolled in teacher education programs nationally is estimated to be 80% White, of which 93% are White females (Cochran-Smith, 2004). If this level of saturation were not alarming enough, 88% of the teacher candidates are taught by White professors (Ladson-Billings, 2001). This data suggests that a significant number of students will begin and end their K-20 education journey without exposure to a minority teacher.
The demographic statistics suggest an imperative to understand how White teachers interpret race, equity, and inclusion work. The diversity explosion is here to stay based on birth rates and immigration patterns (Frey, 2015). What this fact portends is an aging White educator workforce, systematically trained to construct deficit-based narratives of minorities, while they, minoritized children are now the majority of children.
We will explain, discuss, and reflect how interest convergence, colorblindness, and experiential knowledge influence equity-centered mindsets of preservice and practicing teachers (educators).
Location: 163 Rike Hall, Wright State University - Park in Lot 8 - WSU Map
