Like if a principal or parent knew I was a card carrying communist would I be fucked?

  • purr [undecided]
    ·
    edit-2
    3 years ago

    eh i think it can be done, considering that text books have been omitting slavery, genocide against natives, queer history and more for a century, i think history has a way for teachers to hide their powerlevel/ kinda requires marginalized or allied teachers to, especisally now // there's also core curriculums, common pre approved lesson plans, teaching theory that all acredited teachers have to learn, statewide and federal tests that test on a common subject that teachers have to use, so its not really like they have the chance to put in their own unique input anyway. new teachers are also subject to intense shadowing or co-teaching roles that also add a layer of oversight ---think about when your teacher begged your class to be good in 2nd grade because the principle was "sitting in". there's also tenure.

    my mom is a black woman who has had to hide her "powerlevel" aka "black people deserve rights" when teaching little white kids. many marg teachers do the same daily, especially in conservative areas. some marg teachers are even hiding their own identities (being queer/ trans) while theyre doing this

    • Chapo_is_Red [he/him]
      ·
      3 years ago

      It's not that it can't be done, but it's harder. The cognitive dissonance of misrepresenting the past to teach to a test or to teach to sensitivities of white bougie parents can be psychologically damaging to the teacher.

      This hiding of power level by teaching to a core curriculum, isn't much different than the customer service representative of a bank. The rep can say "I'm just stating the bank's policy" or "I'm just informing the caller of their options". But that doesn't change the fact that financially distressed people are calling them about unjust banking practices. The rep is doing what they have to to make a living, but it still is damaging to them.

      This is an issue less likely to come up when teaching STEM subjects.

      • purr [undecided]
        ·
        3 years ago

        yes, its definitely damaging! and it's definitely harder with non STEM stuff.