Unearthing and addressing bias: understanding the connection between teacher dispositions and disproportionality

Abstract

Given the subjective nature of some disability diagnoses, one way to mitigate the disproportionate referral of students of color for Special Education in the United States is by unearthing teachers’ deep-seated biases regarding race and ability. Drawing on Freire’s (1970) theory of critical consciousness, we unpack the role that teacher dispositions play in upholding racism and ableism, and we offer strategies aimed to address teacher bias and ableist/racist practices. We use the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act as an example of institutional racism and ableism in the United States and consider how teacher dispositions can fuel disproportionality. Because of the importance of teacher training as an entry point into one’s career in education, we specifically focus on the teacher preparation period as a time and space where pre-service teachers (PSTs) can engage with their dispositions and offer concrete strategies that teacher educators can employ with PSTs.