Spanish language teaching and ideological tensions in the New Latino South

This article examines the experiences of Spanish high school teachers in Tennessee, a state in the New Latino South where anti-immigrant sentiments and rejection of languages other than English are commonplace. Through a narrative inquiry approach, we explored how these contextual realities impacted teachers’ perceptions of their roles and how they shaped their pedagogical goals. Participants’ narratives reveal that, despite sharing similar realities at the macro level (the U.S. and the New Latino South), teachers’ experiences were dependent on two factors at the meso level (their communities and schools). Teachers in urban areas and private schools worked in less challenging environments. Teachers in rural areas, especially in public institutions, had to navigate a complicated reality tinted with racism and a devaluation of Spanish. Despite teaching in difficult environments, teachers exerted agency by extending their roles as teachers to those of role models, cultural brokers, and advocates for Latinx students and communities. They adapted their pedagogical goals to promote tolerance and engagement with local Latinx communities. The article concludes by emphasizing the urgent need for systemic support and professional development initiatives to equip teachers with the tools to navigate and challenge sociopolitical hostility in their schools and communities.