Diverse set of teachers is crucial in development of students

For many students at Fargo North High School, their experience has been relatively similar. Walk into class. Sit down. And learn from the same demographic of teacher for eight periods of the day. This demographic, of course, being white. 

For four years there have not been any teachers of minority employed at North. The only visible differing demographic is gender. This means that current seniors have been deprived of a diverse learning experience from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. While it would be unfair to paint all teachers at North with a single brush, this problem must be addressed.

According to Fargo Public Schools, 16 percent of students at North High identify as a minority ethnicity. Sixteen percent of students who have no teachers to turn to, who might know the feeling and relate to students who experience discrimination within North. 

Out of the six positions within the social studies department all six are filled by white, middle aged men. The social studies department should arguably be the most diverse being as that is where students learn about the world, different cultures, and obtain new perspectives on their classmates and fellow citizens. The teachers in the social studies department are not to be blamed for this. There are vast differences within all teachers, but none of them relate to visible diversity, it is reasonable to say that different genders and ethnicities provide new insights and perspectives into communities, cultures and people. 

The fact that a diverse makeup of teachers has many benefits to public schools can hardly be disputed.

According to the Center for Education Data and Research report on benefits of diverse teachers the pressure of “acting white” for minority students decreases when an authority figure shares common ethnicities with them. This connection between minority students and minority teachers leads to an overall improvement in performance and builds trust as found in a study conducted by Economics of Education Reviews. 

Along with building a deeper connection among students and teachers, different ethnic backgrounds also breed acceptance of diversity and equity among students who are not minorities. This prevents stereotyping of black and Hispanic students as well as better chemistry among classmates in a school setting. Minority teachers also prove to be strong role models for students of color, and help pave the way towards success in the future.

The problem at North High of less diverse teachers is not only an issue within the Northside of Fargo, but an issue the country faces as a whole. According to the U.S. Department of Education, only 18 percent of teachers across the country are of minority backgrounds, while about half of the US student population is non-white. As the United States becomes more racially and ethnically diverse this number is not seeming to increase. 

Some may argue that nonwhite people make the personal choice by choosing another profession, but that is simply not the case. When minority teachers are hired, they are typically placed in low income area schools where stress levels are high and the pay is low. This leads to them moving away from the profession in around 4 years.  When nonwhite students have no nonwhite teachers, their interest in becoming a teacher also decreases. By this, a negative feedback loop is created.

The problem of teacher diversity can be improved in many ways across the country and especially at North High. New national, state, and district policies are being enacted to increase the retention of minority teachers and lead them to the field of work. While diversity exists in categories other than the visible demographics, this is an area of weakness at North High School. We are all better when our communities, including our school, represent and highlight the strengths of our differences.