A Study of Teachers’ Emotional and Contextual Reasoning for Engaging or Avoiding Race Talk

Amid rising restrictions on race-related education, this study explores how teachers explain their sense of preparedness to engage in classroom race talk. Drawing on qualitative data from 458 U.S. teachers, the analysis examines how preparedness is shaped by school context, racialized emotions, and racial identity. Findings reveal key differences between teachers in racially diverse versus predominantly White schools, as well as between those who attribute preparedness to collective learning or personal study. Guided by Bonilla-Silva's theory of racialized emotions, this study underscores the emotional and structural dimensions of teacher preparedness and offers implications for supporting race-conscious pedagogy in restrictive times.