From Struggle to Success: Coping Strategies of South African Black Teachers in White-Majority Schools

Abstract

South Africa’s emergence from segregation in 1994 and the country’s subsequent transition into democracy has been slow, especially within the education sector. While learner integration within most schools has steadily become diverse, it has become evident that schools that were designated for white learners during Apartheid have securely maintained a white majority within the ranks of the school’s management team and teaching staff. In this chapter, the authors document the experiences of Black teachers within elite white schools in South Africa. This study took place within the Western Cape Province, two decades into the country’s democracy. The authors used a mixed method design which included a large-scale survey questionnaire distributed to 40 Black teachers, in-depth semi-structured interviews, and on-site observations with five Black teachers in elite white majority schools. This study presents findings that show racial challenges, strategic assimilation, allyship, success stories, and fighting against discriminatory policies within their school environments.