Diversity’s (in)visibility at two Hispanic Serving Institutions: how the whiteness of higher education constrains racially diversifying the K-12 teaching force

Abstract

Purpose

Most research about combating the whiteness of teacher education neglects to analyze the whiteness of the higher education institutional contexts housing teacher preparation programs. This gap also holds true within research exploring Minority Serving Institutions’ potential to graduate large numbers of teachers of color. Consequently, this paper aims to argue that without strong institutional commitments to dismantle the whiteness of higher education, Hispanic Serving Institutions (a type of Minority Serving Institution) compromise their potential to robustly prepare and graduate K-12 teachers of color.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on an inductive qualitative analysis of interviews with teacher educators of color and students and a deductive qualitative analysis of publicly available data at two Hispanic Serving Institutions, this paper uses Critical Race Theory tenets of lived experience and intersectionality.

Findings

Both institutions enacted diversity commitments. However, findings demonstrated that institutional support neglected the multiple oppressive systems impacting students of color. Additionally, prioritizing (White) research norms invisibilized faculty of color in higher ranked professorial roles and compromised faculty pedagogy.

Originality/value

Findings address lesser known analyses of how the intersections between institutional climate, teacher education programs and the unique Hispanic Serving Institutional context impact student/preservice teacher and faculty/teacher educator racial diversity, demonstrate the necessity of using an intersectional lens when analyzing preservice teacher and teacher educator of color experiences, and demonstrate how racially diverse, multicultural higher education contexts can still invisibilize diversity.

Citation

Schwitzman-Gerst, T. (2024), "Diversity’s (in)visibility at two Hispanic Serving Institutions: how the whiteness of higher education constrains racially diversifying the K-12 teaching force", Journal for Multicultural Education, Vol. 18 No. 4, pp. 460-473. https://doi.org/10.1108/JME-02-2024-0014