Congratulations to Kayla Miranda Morales who on Wednesday July 30, 2025, successfully defended her dissertation. The title of Kayla’s study is "THE INFLUENCES OF REACTIONARY FORCES AND OPPOSITIONS TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION (DEI) ON SUBURBAN MIDDLE SCHOOL LANGUAGE ARTS AND SOCIAL STUDIES CLASSROOMS."
Overview of Problem: Despite the growing racial and cultural diversity of the U.S. school population, culturally responsive teaching practices continue to face significant political and social opposition. Teachers are increasingly challenged by legislation, censorship, and parental resistance, which restrict their ability to teach about DEI related topics within their classrooms. These reactionary forces create a climate of uncertainty and tension, particularly in subjects like language arts and social studies, where diverse perspectives and civic discourse are essential.
Research Purpose: Guided by Weick’s (1995) Sensemaking theory, the purpose of this study was to explore how middle school language arts and social studies teachers in a suburban private school in the Northeast region of the United States make sense of reactionary forces opposing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and how these forces influence their pedagogical decision-making and classroom practices.
Research Design: A qualitative single case study was used.
Sample: The study focused on 13 middle school language arts and social studies teachers at one private school in the northeastern United States.
Data Collection and Analysis: Data were gathered through semi structured interviews with tenured/non-probationary middle school language arts and social studies teachers. In addition, documents that discuss DEI curriculum and policies from the participants’ school were examined to determine its influence on teachers’ sensemaking and teaching practices.
Findings/Results: Findings from this study reveal that middle school language arts and social studies teachers face significant tension between their commitment to culturally responsive teaching and the external pressures of reactionary forces, including censorship, political interference, and unclear institutional support.
Conclusions/Implications: This study highlights the complex challenges educators face in fostering inclusive classrooms amid rising opposition to DEI. These challenges hinder their ability to engage students in meaningful conversations about DEI related topics. It underscores the need for school leaders and policymakers to provide professional development, institutional clarity, and protective policies that empower educators to teach inclusively in an increasingly diverse and politically complex educational landscape.
Dissertation Committee Chair(s):
Dr. Kenneth Mitchell
Dissertation Committee Member(s):
Dr. Martin Fitzgerald
Dr. Jenny Olson
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