Teaching #BlackLivesMatter in the classroom: Exploring the racial pedagogical decision making of PK-12 teachers

ABSTRACT This study explores the racial pedagogical decision making of teachers presented with the opportunity to address the #BlackLivesMatter movement in their classroom. Findings of more than 4,000 teachers indicate that suburban, urban, African American and Latino/a were most likely to address BLM through an antiracist positioning. Rural and more experienced teachers were the most likely to respond ‘All Lives Matter’ to a classroom scenario. Analysis of extended response items found that participants deployed three defences to avoid engaging with #BLM in their classrooms: constitutional, institutional and appropriateness. Findings generated in this study provide insights into how teachers will approach calls for challenging anti-Black racism in their classrooms.