Based on the email response:

• The fifth grade teacher perceives her students to be at “varying levels of reading and writing.” She explicitly states, “The posters you saw on display reflect each student’s current reading and writing level. Since students are on varying levels of reading and writing, we allow them to publish at the level they are on assuming the reader will be able to understand what they mean.” This indicates a perception that some students are not yet proficient in grammar and writing conventions.
• The fifth grade teacher believes her students are capable of conducting research and forming their own conclusions. She says, “the students researched and wrote the projects themselves,” indicating she trusts their ability to gather information.
• The fifth grade teacher does not believe the generalization about early Africans being brought to the United States as involuntary immigrants is inaccurate. She states, “I don’t believe the generalizations are inaccurate,” suggesting she either agrees with the student’s statement or has not recognized its historical inaccuracy.

Based on the email response, potential unconscious racial biases the fifth grade teacher might have include:

• Lowered expectations for students of color: The teacher’s willingness to display work with inaccurate generalizations, particularly about the history of Africans in America, could stem from an unconscious bias that holds lower academic expectations for students, who may disproportionately be students of color in a public school setting. The teacher’s justification that students are “on varying levels” and can “publish at the level they are on” might be applied differently if the historical inaccuracy pertained to another group. The lack of correction on a sensitive historical topic suggests a potential implicit bias where the teacher may not prioritize the accurate portrayal of marginalized groups’ history.
• Colorblindness or a lack of understanding of systemic racism: The teacher’s dismissal of the generalization as not “inaccurate” could reflect an unconscious bias that minimizes or ignores the significance of the specific historical context of slavery and the forced migration of Africans. This might stem from a “colorblind” approach that avoids directly addressing race and its impact on history, or a lack of deeper understanding of the nuances of systemic racism and its historical manifestations. The teacher might unconsciously view all generalizations as equally acceptable without considering the power dynamics and historical oppression involved in this particular statement.

Misconceptions that might emerge as a result of the teacher’s inaction and the impact on students include:

• Misconception: Students and other readers might develop or reinforce inaccurate understandings of historical events, specifically the forced nature of the transatlantic slave trade and the origins of Africans in the United States. The generalization “early Africans were brought to the United States as involuntary immigrants” is a significant understatement that obscures the brutal reality of slavery and the complete lack of agency of enslaved people.
• Impact on Students:
  • For all students: They may learn and internalize incorrect historical information, hindering their ability to critically analyze the past and understand the complexities of American history and race relations. This can lead to a flawed understanding of the present.
  • For African American students: Seeing such a significant historical inaccuracy displayed without correction can be invalidating and potentially harmful. It can minimize the suffering and injustice endured by their ancestors and contribute to feelings of marginalization or a lack of accurate representation in the curriculum.
  • For the student who created the poster: The lack of correction deprives the student of an opportunity to learn accurate historical information and develop stronger research and critical thinking skills. It sends a message that such significant inaccuracies are acceptable in academic work.
• Misconception: Students might believe that grammatical correctness and accurate information are not important in published work, especially if a teacher displays unedited material without any indication of errors.
• Impact on Students: Students may become less attentive to detail in their own writing and research, believing that conveying a general idea is sufficient, even if it contains errors or inaccuracies. This can negatively impact their academic development in language arts and other subjects.
• Misconception: There might be a tacit acceptance that generalizations, even inaccurate ones with historical and social implications, are permissible if the “reader will be able to understand what they mean.”
• Impact on Students: This can hinder the development of precise language and critical evaluation of information. It can also lead to a lack of rigor in academic work and a diminished understanding of the importance of accuracy and nuance, especially when discussing sensitive topics.