Juneteenth is a time for celebrating Black liberation. However, 160 years later, and 71 years after the desegregation of public schools, today’s education system continues to fail Black and brown educators.
With diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives continually in the crosshairs of this administration, prioritizing inclusive education is more important than ever. Unfortunately, by ignoring innovation and equity efforts being led by Black and brown educators, Washington is not just steadily losing Black educators, it’s pushing them out.
Across Washington, we’re witnessing a steady exodus. Black educators are leaving the profession at higher rates than their white peers, often within their first five years. In the Puget Sound region, nearly 60% of public school students are students of color, yet only 13% of teachers reflect that diversity, a gap that is widening. The 2024 “Educators & Leaders of Color Listening Sessions” report, commissioned by the Puget Sound Educational Service District and that involved teachers and school/district leaders of color from across the region, details what’s driving this loss: Educators of color are isolated, overburdened and overlooked for leadership, even as they hold together the cultural fabric of our schools.
One participant put it plainly: “Where do leaders of color turn to when teachers come to them?”
Across the region, we’ve seen what’s possible. Bright spots like Technology Access Foundation’s Martinez Fellowship, Kent’s Educators of Color Network, and Auburn’s family-to-teacher pipeline show how investment creates healing spaces, leadership pathways and culturally grounded professional development, benefiting educators and the students they serve.
And when educators of color thrive, students thrive too. Studies show Black students with even one Black teacher by third grade are more likely to graduate and consider college. Diverse educators implement culturally relevant teaching, disrupt bias in discipline and raise expectations. Representation isn’t symbolic; it shapes student belonging, learning and long-term success.
But these programs are chronically underfunded, and in some cases, quietly cut as districts retreat from equity commitments. This isn’t just neglect. It’s erasure that impacts students and has generational consequences.
A Seattle-area teacher describes this reality:
“As a teacher of color, I feel more connected to students than the staff. I’ve lost work partnerships due to the elections and internalized racism.”
Her story mirrors national trends:
· A report from the Education Trust, a group that addresses educational opportunity gaps, found educators of color leave not because of students, but because of racism and broken promises.
· The Albert Shanker Institute, a nonprofit that addresses the interrelation of work, education and democracy, reported that while teacher diversity may grow in some districts, retention remains elusive.
· The Learning Policy Institute, a research organization, describes a “broken pipeline” with educators of color exiting at every stage.
These findings echo what scholar Bettina Love writes in “We Want to Do More Than Survive”: “Equity is not enough. We must build schools that liberate.”
The Seattle educator’s experience illustrates both the struggle and the vision. While she has served on her leadership team, she said, “None of my ideas were put into action.” Yet, her vision is powerful: shifting toward intergenerational learning; teaching with stories and legends from cultures around the world, not just Europe and the West; and helping students tackle big ideas in age-appropriate ways. “So that the child is truly whole,” she says.
This is just one example of the work being done to fight the disturbing trend spearheaded by our current administration. But relying on the resilience of educators like her is not enough. There is much work to be done by the state and district leaders to move the needle, including:
· Fully funding programs that center Black and brown educators.
· Ending the practice of assigning Black teachers the hardest roles without offering real leadership.
· Adopting clear public equity metrics and follow-through.
· Codesigning solutions with educators of color, not just for them.
We need to do more than rely on resilience. The future of education in Washington is already here; it’s Black, brown, multilingual and visionary. The question is: Will our systems recognize it, or continue to let it slip away?
