For thriving, empowered students of all backgrounds—we need thriving, empowered teachers of all backgrounds. That means teachers who reflect the diversity of their larger communities—Black teachers, brown teachers and anti-racist white teachers.
What you need to know
5% of students identify as Black.
Only 15% of educators are non-white.
35% of students identify as Latinx.
In Colorado, 49% of the state's 881,000 public school students are non-white.
Students of color may seldom – or never – have a teacher who looks like them.
Representation among school leaders and teachers is important for the students they teach.
As an African American girl growing up in a predominately white, affluent, New York suburb, I know first hand the long-standing, negative impact of not being represented in the classroom culturally, and being the only or "the other.” When I first became a teacher, I continued to witness the impact of traditional schooling on underrepresented students and became devoted to changing the narrative.
Dr. Jennifer Bacon
Through culturally responsive teaching practices, I built authentic relationships with students and families, and I was challenged by facilitating discussions about racism.
Professor Betsy Blohm
Having diverse teachers makes it more likely that decisions about school curriculum, about how schools are organized, will reflect our diversity as a country. So, I think we can't get out of the situation we are in as a country if we don't address the diversity of our educator workforce.
Dr. John B. King, Jr.
What if the stories we collectively tell ourselves define our communities? What if the schools that educate millions of children each year play a vital role in creating our stories and our community narratives?
Executive Director, Texas at Latinos for Education
Andy Canales
Curated Resources to Get You Started
Resources for Future Latinx Teachers
Resources for Future Black Educators
Resources for Future Indigenous Educators
Resources for Future AAPI Educators
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