In the United States, people of color are significantly underrepresented in teaching. With the federal government’s recent threats to public school funding and diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, it is more important than ever that we attract, support, and retain teachers of color on the local level. Although students of color make up around 28 percent of the ICSD student body, teachers of color constitute only 13.3 percent of our teaching staff. This lack of diverse teachers is an urgent issue of education equity, and should be a priority for ICSD. The Tattler urges ICSD to encourage more students of color to become teachers and to support its current teachers of color better, both financially and structurally.
Having a diverse teacher population benefits all students. As technology teacher Akil Atiba explained, learning from diverse teachers helps students grow into more well-rounded and empathetic adults. Their impact is especially profound for students of color; a 2018 study by the National Bureau of Economic Research showed that for Black students, having a Black teacher by third grade increases their likelihood of enrolling in college by nineteen percent. Teachers of color can be role models for students of color and inspire them to become educators as well. Often, students who wish to become teachers are those who enjoy school, and having a diverse teaching staff will provide students of color with a diverse range of experiences. ICSD Physical Education teacher Johnnie Akins said that the positive impact of his educators caused him to realize he wanted to pursue teaching. Having a diverse teaching staff will inspire more students of color to enter education, creating the next generation of minority educators.
Many local programs set students up for success in their pursuit of teaching, such as the TST BOCES Early Childhood program; the two-year course lets students plan and implement lesson plans for young children, learn in hands-on instructional labs and internships, and earn college credit from Tompkins Cortland Community College and SUNY Cobleskill. Another example is My Brother’s Keeper, a mentorship program for young men of color. This program is essential in providing students with positive academic and mentorship experiences, which can help inspire them to pursue higher education and teaching. ICSD should further support programs like these and advertise them to students of color of all ages.
However, even with the help of programs like these, other aspects of the position deter many students of color from pursuing teaching. Teaching is one of the lowest-paying jobs to require a master’s degree: the nationwide mean annual salary for teachers is 73,890 dollars, and this school year, the minimum base salary for teachers in ICSD was 53,291 dollars. This creates a high barrier of entry for people of color, who often lack the generational wealth and financial backing that many of their white peers have. “A lot of young teachers of color specifically are trying to generate wealth for their family,” IHS English teacher Steven D’Alterio explained. Because salaries do not keep up with Ithaca’s affordability crisis, ICSD is “a really difficult place to [build generational wealth] and survive.” If ICSD wishes to retain its incredible teaching staff, especially its teachers of color, it needs to match the scale of this crisis with higher salaries in the ongoing contract negotiations with the Ithaca Teachers Association. The Tattler understands that the budget is limited and that this will be difficult, but also believes that teachers are the heart of our district and should be a top funding priority.
Beyond financial difficulties, racism within the school district can deter teachers from staying at ICSD. Teachers of color The Tattler spoke to described the toll that racism coming from students, administration, and other community members takes on them. Still, many teachers of color are compelled to stay in ICSD because of strong mentorship by and affinity toward colleagues. Global History teachers Beverly Tan and Simon Warhaft expressed gratitude for their colleagues in the Social Studies department—Warhaft highlighted his “colleagues and […] our camaraderie” as one of his favorite parts of working at IHS. It is imperative that all teachers of color feel this sense of community, especially as they navigate racism at school.
Although many teachers feel strongly supported by their coworkers, relations with administration remain strained as teachers’ concerns about infrastructure, curriculum, or school policies go unaddressed. Administration must listen to teachers and then follow through with action. As Tan explained, teachers do so much more than simply teach: they are also “mentors, confidantes, protectors, support systems, motivators, coaches, food/snack providers, disciplinarians, [and] emotion-regulators.” For teachers of color to sustain these efforts while facing racism in our community, they need ICSD to support them and uphold inclusion not only on paper but also in practice. “There’s a lot of talk about being inclusive, but what does inclusivity really look like?” Atiba asked. “Does it just mean that I’m here in the building as a presence, or does it mean that my voice will be heard and echoed as we’re making certain important decisions that directly impact […] people of color in ICSD?”
Encouraging teachers of color to pursue their passions within their careers can also encourage retention and foster stronger connections between students and teachers. D’Alterio, along with his former teacher Michael Reiff, worked collaboratively to design and launch a new senior English elective called African American Studies in 2021. This project has given students of all races a space to see African Americans in academia and foster authentic connections with D’Alterio and their peers. If more teachers of color are encouraged and supported in pursuing projects that resonate with them, our learning community will better represent our multifaceted staff and provide more opportunities for students to connect with their teachers.
ICSD students benefit tremendously from the education, mentorship, and leadership our teachers of color offer. As we strive toward educational equity, attracting and supporting more teachers of color should be a top priority. With better pay, more opportunities to pursue passions, and more responsive support systems, ICSD can provide a welcoming environment for all students and teachers to thrive in.
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