“We Are Pigeonholed”: Hispanic Male Teachers’ Responses to Stereotypical Assumptions of Their Linguistic Identities
Leslie Ekpe, Nicole Weinberg, Garrison Daly, Steve D. Przymus, Frank Hernandez, Gabriel Huddleston, Kathleen KyzarBackground:
In interrogating systems of whiteness that govern the protection of language ownership, this study draws on raciolinguistics and highlights the experiences of Hispanic male teachers in Texas K–12 systems, where responsibilities and knowledge sharing were shaped by assumed linguistic abilities. On a national scale, Hispanic male teachers account for less than 2% of the teacher workforce. As noted in the literature, this small percentage is due to several reasons, such as teacher pathway programs not being inclusive; teachers having to navigate educational systems that reinforce racialized, gendered, and linguistic prejudices; and, as documented in this study, stereotypical assumptions of their linguistic identities. The
Purpose:
For this study, we examine how 839 Hispanic male teachers navigate their Texas K–12 school environments when assumptions about their linguistic identities impact their sense of belonging, professional opportunities, and relationships with colleagues, administrators, and students. This paper contributes to the literature on Hispanic male teachers by centering their voices, which are often excluded by dominant epistemologies.
Research Design:
Our research draws on data from the National Hispanic Male Teacher Survey (NHMTS), which explored the experiences and characteristics of Hispanic male teachers in the United States. Participants were identified through the fall 2021 Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) survey, which is administered by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). Survey design prioritized inclusive and equitable practices by employing multiple-select and self-describe options, in addition to working alongside Hispanic male teachers to develop the study. Our analysis of the qualitative data, including survey responses and focus groups, was done in relation to the literature through a reflective lens.
Conclusion:
Hispanic male teachers in Texas navigated assumptions of their linguistic identities and expressed (1) a lack of racial and cultural awareness from colleagues and administrators, (2) assimilation pedagogies and praxis inside and outside the classroom, and (3) bilingualism as both a bridge and a burden. The dismantling of white Eurocentric language ideological practices within educational systems begins with counterstories, like those of Hispanic male teachers in this study, that refute the normative behaviors and beliefs that govern the systematization of white Eurocentric language norms as standard and return ownership of one’s linguistic identity to those who have been siloed by inferior assumptions.