Beyond Lau: Envisioning humanizing and culturally sustaining workspaces for teachers in dual-language bilingual education schools

Fifty years after the Lau decision, dual-language programs face critical challenges, particularly a national teacher shortage, especially in bilingual programs representing less commonly taught languages like Mandarin Chinese. This study explores the workplace environments of 13 Mandarin Dual Language Bilingual Education (MDLBE) teachers in a diverse urban school district. Drawing on Freire’s concept of humanization, Paris’s cultural sustainment framework, and Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, qualitative interviews reveal themes of outsiderness, coupled with a need for humanizing relationships with colleagues and leadership. Findings highlight the importance of culturally sustaining practices and systemic changes to foster inclusive, supportive environments, advocating for a transformation “Beyond Lau” to sustain dual-language programs.