“I’m None of the Above”: Exploring Themes of Heteropatriarchy in the Life Histories of Black Male Educators

Abstract

Black male teachers are consistently positioned in teacher recruitment and teacher education discourse as the potential solution to a myriad of social and educational problems. However, the expectations of Black male performance are at times predicated on limiting and oppressive assumptions. In this qualitative study, the authors use the Black feminist tenet, heteropatriarchy, to examine the life histories of two Black male teacher candidates and one Black male teacher in order to convey the problematic relationship among racial and gendered stereotypes, professional identities, and classroom experiences. Our findings suggest that the expectations Black male educators perceive others to hold of them do not leave space for diverse expressions of racial, gendered, and sexual identities. We conclude by offering recommendations toward identifying and challenging themes of heteropatriarchy within the social, cultural, and professional expectations communicated to Black male teacher candidates and teachers.