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Original Research Report
Journal of Education
2025, Vol. 0(0) 1–14
© The Author(s) 2025
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DOI: 10.1177/00220574251318295
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Navigating the Educational Landscape:
Experiences of Hispanic Male Teachers in
Texas K-12 Schools
Leslie Ekpe
1
, Nicole Weinberg
2
, Garrison Daly
3
, Steve Przymus
3
, Frank Hernandez
3
,
Gabriel Huddleston
3
, and Kathleen Kyzar
3
Abstract
Drawing from the National Hispanic Male Teacher Survey (NHMTS) pilot in Texas, this paper aims to expand efforts to recruit,
prepare, support, and sustain Hispanic male teachers in K-12 institutions. The findings drawn from 839 educators present
becoming a future role model to Hispanic students, dismantling stereotypical assumptions around being Hispanic and male,
confronting racism within the teacher role, and the burden of being the translator, disciplinarian, and educator all in one. Our
study contributes to the differentiation of teacher recruitment and retention strategies when addressing the underrepre-
sentation of racially and ethnically minoritized educators in the teacher workforce.
Keywords
career, equity, inclusion, policy, teaching
The declining teacher workforce over the years is due to
several factors, including pathways to the teaching profession
(Gist et al., 2019), the impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19)
pandemic (Carver-Thomas et al., 2021), high rates of turn-
over (Underwood, 2019), and the economic instabilities of
the profession (Cooper & Madigan, 2001). These factors are
concerning as they undoubtedly influence the underrepre-
sentation of Hispanic male educators. According to the
National Center for Education Statistics (2017), less than 2%
of the United States (U.S.) teacher workforce are Hispanic
male teachers, despite Hispanic students representing the
largest population of students in several states. Texas has a
29% difference between the number of Hispanic teachers and
Hispanic students in the classroom (Shapiro & Partelow,
2018, p. 3), making it one of four states with the greatest
Hispanic teacher-student gaps. This underrepresentation
impacts the growing population of Hispanic students, as their
presence can positively influence how students see them-
selves. For non-Hispanic students, having a Hispanic male
teacher can combat racist narratives portrayed in the media
and enhance cultural competencies.
This paper presents the results from the National Hispanic
Male Teacher Survey (NHMTS) pilot, disseminated with
qualifying participants working in Texas public schools. The
overarching purpose of the NHMTS is to learn from the
experiences of Hispanic male teachers in K-12 public schools
in Texas. The NHMTS was created by a team including the
authors of this paper as a partnership between the Center for
Public Education and Community Engagement (CPECE) and
the Maestro program of Texas Christian University’s (TCU)
College of Education. CPECE advocates for public education
and the Maestro program seeks to strengthen Texas’teaching
workforce diversification by recruiting, preparing, support-
ing, and sustaining Latino men interested in teaching.
It is important to consider Flores’(2021) assertion that
racialized terminology influences how communities navigate
society and can be received with contention when discussed.
As such, our team discussed early on whether utilizing the
terms “Hispanic,”“Latino,”or “Latinx”was most appro-
priate. The first is associated with the Spanish culture, lan-
guage, and origin. The latter, Latinx, has been associated with
gender inclusivity, replacing the “o”in Latino and the “a”in
Latina with “x”(e.g., Chon et al., 2021). Most NHMTS
participants self-identified as “Hispanic”over “Latino”or
“Latinx.”Accordingly, we use the term “Hispanic”except
when referring to the wording of those participants who
1
East Texas A&M University, Commerce, TX, USA
2
Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX, USA
3
Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX, USA
Corresponding Author:
Leslie Ekpe, East Texas A&M University, Commerce, TX, USA.
Email: leslie.ekpe@tamuc.edu
utilized a different identification and studies that utilized
“Latino”or “Latinx.”The paper uses these terms inter-
changeably depending on the context while noting that the
terminology is representative of several cultures, languages,
and origins. Moreover, it is possible that the term “Hispanic”
might be more prevalent in Texas; thus, we will continue to
evaluate the use of terminology in relation to participant
responses as the survey expands nationally in the future.
Historical Context
It is not by accident that Hispanic male teachers have
systemically been left out of public discourse around ed-
ucational policy; instead, this silence has been institu-
tionalized through racism and colonialism within the
education profession. Consequently, the teacher workforce
lacks diversity as it fails to address the inequities that
teachers of color face when entering the field (Bergey et al.,
2019;Santoro, 2011). Not only do teachers of color face
systemic barriers when entering the field, but these teachers
also face obstacles when being sustained in the field as a
result of the lack of culturally responsive curricula
(Ladson-Billings, 2005), discrimination and racism within
the profession (Chón et al., 2021;Monreal, 2022;Sanders,
1997), inadequate support at the administrative, district,
and national level (Cormier et al., 2021;Vils on, 201 5), and
insufficient access to resources for professional advance-
ments (Unda, 2023).
Unda’s (2023) literature review of the history of Latinx
teachers in U.S. public schools found that a series of historical
systematic exclusionary outcomes have resulted in smaller
numbers of these teachers in the profession today. For ex-
ample, Unda (2023) highlights the Mexican-American War
(1846-1848), where large numbers of Mexican Americans
and Indigenous peoples were forced out of the States. Ad-
ditionally, Brown v. Board of Education (1954) played a role
in the displacement of African American teachers (Carter
Andrews et al., 2019;Fultz, 2004;Huckaby et al., 2023;
Hudson & Holmes, 1994) and Latinx teachers (López, 2021).
Students of color suffered greatly from this decision as the
chances of being taught by a Black and/or Latinx teacher were
extensively decreased due to the adverse probability that the
teachers were either fired, displaced, or dismissed (Fultz,
2004). During this time, schools did not hire Black or Latinx
teachers as a result of systematic racism. Because of this,
teacher education programs today reflect the long-standing
systemic exclusion of these teachers.
In addition, teacher education programs fail to recruit
Latinx students and have a large number of white candidates
who eventually contribute to the vast majority of white
teachers in the education system (Carter Andrews et al.,
2019). As Colomer (2019) highlights, there is a dire need
to deconstruct teacher education programs as these programs
fail to support the racial and cultural identities of Latinx
teachers.
Literature Review
Most existing literature focuses on pre-service or current
teachers identifying as Chicano/a or Mexican American, whose
identities, experiences, and teaching practices are analyzed in
depth through qualitative approaches such as ethnography, life
history, or case studies. Such studies suggest that Hispanic
teachers, particularly those who self-identify as Latina/
Chicana/Xicana, form professional identities and pedagogic
practices from their experiences, family values, and community
activism (e.g., Berta-Avila, 2004;Galindo, 1996).
Teacher education programs seeking to recruit Hispanic
teachers, particularly males, lack appropriate insight re-
garding this population’s career paths to teaching. As Dr
Gloria Ladson-Billings states:
Our teacher education programs are filled with White, middle-
class, monolingual female students who will have the respon-
sibility of teaching in school communities serving students who
are culturally, linguistically, ethnically, racially, and economi-
cally different from them (Ladson-Billings, 2005, p. 230).
While Mellander (2015) suggested that the financial bur-
dens of teacher education programs may be significant, several
other barriers have yet to be investigated, including recruitment
and curriculum that account for identities, language skills,
cultural backgrounds, and experiences in cultural communities
(Gomez et al., 2008). Garza (2019) attributed the underrep-
resentation of Hispanic teachers to the complex “academic,
financial, and sociocultural challenges they face along the
pathway into teaching”and advocated for “more intentional
and creative recruitment of Latinx students into the teaching
profession”(p. 48). Furthermore, Lara and Fr´
anquiz (2015)
found that Latino male teachers frequently assume additional
roles outside their teaching responsibilities that contribute to
challenges within the profession.
The positive impact of teachers of color, such as Hispanic
teachers, on students of color provides culturally affirming
practices within school environments (Bristol & Martin-
Fernandez, 2019). Research demonstrates men of color
(MOC) educators positively influence boys of color’s aca-
demic trajectories (Brooms, 2017). Researchers have noted
increased academic achievement (Watson et al., 2016),
meaningful connections between educator and student
(Brooms, 2017), successful role model implementation
(Harper, 2015), and a culture of care (Carey, 2023) when
more MOC are present in classrooms. While MOC educators
in the teaching profession are highly beneficial to students,
Hispanic male educators remain a small percentage of the
teaching profession. Thus, the research question guiding the
NHMTS construction was:
1. How do Hispanic male teachers’experiences in K-12
public school settings influence their reasons to enter,
stay, and/or leave the profession?
2Journal of Education 0(0)
Method
Participants
The Texas Education Agency (TEA, 2023) reports that Texas
employs approximately 320,000 teachers. We contacted TEA
to request access to the teacher database from the Fall
2021 Public Education Information Management System
(PEIMS) snapshot. This list included 410,249 professional and
paraprofessional school staff from all public K-12 schools in
Tex a s
1
and did not include auxiliary staff. From the TEA
database, we selected participants categorized as “male”and
“Hispanic/Latino.”The PEIMS demographic questions on
gender only offer the options for “male”or “female”;non-
gender conforming individuals who selected “female”were not
included in the study. PEIMS asked teachers to identify as
either Hispanic/Latino or not and provided a separate item
about racial identity
2
. Given the complex nature of the identity
of the Hispanic population in Texas, some participants may
have been omitted from the participant pool if they were, for
example, of Mexican descent but identified with terms such as
“Mexican”or “Chicano”rather than “Hispanic/Latino.”From
these criteria, 30,708 potential participants were identified for
the current study. After removing ascertainable duplicates or
individuals without email contact information, 23,976 teachers
were invited to participate in the study.
Refer to Table 1 to review the demographic characteristics
of survey participants.
Refer to Table 2 for information on the participants’school
characteristics.
Materials
We utilized multi-select and open-ended response styles, par-
ticularly for demographic questions so participants could self-
identify. Questions 1 to 14 collected personal and professional
demographic information using options for “other, please
specify”and “prefer not to answer”for items like place of birth,
race, and nationality. The final two sections of the survey used
multi-select and open-ended response question formats, with the
option to “prefer not to answer.”Questions 15 to 27 inquired
about participants’identities as teachers, including descriptions
of friends or family members who are teachers, inspirations for
becoming a teacher, and strengths of Hispanic male teachers.
Questions 28 to 37 asked participants about their professional
experiences, including perceived expectations, aspirations,
successes, and challenges. We piloted the survey with a Maestro
program participant whose feedback from this pilot was given
verbally to the researchers question by question. Subsequent
changes included additional options on certain survey questions.
Procedures
The survey was distributed in English on the Qualtrics
platform in 2022. A total of 1402 Hispanic male teachers
responded to the survey, with a response rate of 5.8%.
Approximately 20% (n= 204) of the total sample (N=
1402) had missing values for all variables in the dataset. Of
these 204 respondents, most closed the survey within
60 seconds of opening it (n= 167). A missing values
analysis was conducted using the full dataset of 1042 re-
spondents. To assess whether the pattern of missing values
was missing completely at random (MCAR), Little’s
(1988) MCAR test was conducted. Results indicate that
the missing values were randomly distributed (MCAR), χ
2
(46,367) = 26351.487, p= 1.000, suggesting that the
missing data would not seriously bias estimates or intro-
duce error in the results. The analysis was conducted using
listwise deletion. The data associated with the 204 re-
spondents with missing values for all variables were
Table 1. Demographic Characteristics of Survey Participants.
Characteristics n%
Age
26–30 years 88 10.5
31–40 years 218 26.0
41–50 years 251 29.9
51–60 years 200 23.8
62–70 years 54 6.4
70 years or older 3 0.4
Ethnicity
Mexican 603 71.9
Another ethnicity not listed 124 14.8
Puerto Rican 31 3.7
Prefer not to answer 30 3.6
Preferred term to describe self
Hispanic 468 55.8
Latino 186 22.2
Chicano 89 10.6
Other 63 7.5
Spanish 22 2.6
Prefer not to answer 6 0.7
Caribbean 5 0.6
Language
English 275 32.8
Bilingual 387 46.1
Spanish 60 7.2
State respondent grew up
Texas 710 84.6
All other states selected 51 6.1
Outside of the U.S. 71 8.5
Participants’own formal schooling
Public school 710 84.6
Private religious 77 9.2
Other 55 6.6
Note. In our approach to equitable data collection, several questions were
multi-select or had open-ended response options. Participants were also
given the option to select demographic questions to refrain from answering.
As a result, percentages did not equal 100%. All percentages were calculated
from the total survey responses (n= 839).
Ekpe et al. 3
removed from the dataset. The total number of participants
was 839 (N=839).
We generated descriptive statistics for this study for both
multiple-choice and multi-select questions. We used IBM
SPSS (v. 27) for quantitative data management and analysis.
Before analysis, the data was screened for assumptions,
outliers, and missing data (as previously described) and
prepped for analyses. Several multiple-choice questions
also included qualitative data (i.e., “other, please specify”
option). In these cases, a word frequency count was gen-
erated. To give a sense of qualitative data for this project, the
average response length was calculated for select open-
ended response questions
3
. The response length for these
selected questions ranged from 42 to 164 characters, with
the average response length being 109 characters.
While we utilized multiple modes of data analysis,
quantitative and qualitative, the qualitative dimension of the
multifaceted approach was heavily emphasized to better
understand the lived experiences of Hispanic male teachers.
Since the findings were primarily informed by qualitative
analysis, with descriptive statistics as a limited means of
triangulation, the purpose is not to achieve generalizability
about our discussion of Hispanic male teachers’experiences
but rather to employ ethical principles to increase the
trustworthiness in our description of the scope of these
experiences.
For analyzing qualitative responses, we engaged in an
iterative process of reflexive thematic analysis. Phase 1 in-
volved familiarization with the data; familiarization notes
were taken, which were discussed concerning potential im-
plications for developing “codes”as units of analysis. In
practice, this involved coding members of the team exploring
the data on Qualtrics, reading over open-ended responses, and
sharing presentations or handouts with other members of the
team for feedback and next steps. Next, the cleaned tran-
scripts of the survey responses were uploaded into NVivo to
help organize and coordinate the coding process and contain
large amounts of qualitative data. In this way, NVivo was
used primarily to organize analysis, not as a replacement for
the coding process or development of themes (Sampson &
Wong, 2024). Phase 2 involved systemic data coding; as each
coder worked independently, this resulted in several unique
analytic approaches. Inter-coder reliability or “objectivity”
was not the goal, rather, trustworthiness was established
through the discussions that the team had around each of the
coders’findings. In Phase 3, the team consolidated the
multiple coding schemes into overarching themes. These
were further related to the literature and the quantitative data.
Positionality
As we approached this study about Hispanic male teachers,
we were conscious of our positions as scholars studying race
and ethnicity in school systems (one African American
woman, two white males, one Hispanic male, and three white
women) and our potential biases. We approached this study
authentically and saw ourselves as learners in the research
process.
Our research approach was driven by respect, inclusion,
and consent principles, including opportunities for commu-
nity connection, optional questions, open-ended response
choices on questions regarding race and ethnicity, and in-
quiring about best dissemination methods. This methodology
is evident in the way we structured the conversation, analysis,
and data gathering, as well as in the suggestions we provide
for further studies and application. With the combination of
over forty years in the education system, both in the K-12 and
higher education arena, we bring a critical focus to this work
through a lens of racial equity (Garces & Gordon da Cruz,
2017).
How Teachers of Color are Maintained
Versus Sustained
An expansive understanding of teacher retention framed this
study due to the diversity among Hispanic male teachers in
Texas. Specifically, we reframe teacher retention around
sustainability through teachers’holistic well-being instead of
workforce compensation, workload, and injuries. According
to Dahlgren and Whitehead (1991), well-being within the
Table 2. Survey Participants’School Characteristics.
Characteristics n%
Years served as a teacher
3–5 years 122 14.5
6–10 years 168 20.0
11–20 years 288 34.3
21+ years 186 22.2
Current school type
Public school 717 85.5
Public charter 41 4.9
Other 20 2.4
Population density for current school community
Urban 326 38.9
Suburban 323 38.5
Rural 167 19.9
Current grade Level(s) teaching
Early childhood education or Pre-K 46 5.5
K-5 471 56.1
6–8 512 61.0
9–12 1395 166.3
Post-secondary (college/University) 32 3.8
Other 42 5.0
Note. In our approach to equitable data collection, several questions were
multi-select or had open-ended response options. Participants were also
given the option to select demographic questions to refrain from answering.
As a result, percentages did not equal 100%. All percentages were calculated
from the total survey responses (n= 839).
4Journal of Education 0(0)
socio-political context considers how an individual’s identity
and lifestyle factors interact with socioeconomic, cultural,
and environmental conditions. Concerning teaching well-
being within the socio-political context requires schools,
districts, and states to provide adequate resources that pro-
mote sustainability; policy should not aim for teachers to
survive in the profession but to thrive (Love, 2019;Santoro &
Hazel, 2022). Understanding the difference between main-
taining and sustaining teachers is necessary to current policy
concerns regarding the low numbers of Hispanic male
teachers in the field.
Maintaining teachers in the profession means providing
them with the minimum resources to prevent them from
resigning. The scarcity of resources harms minoritized
teachers by placing the onus on the individual (as opposed to
the entity) to “make it work.”Educational policy must
progress to foster the success of passionate, qualified pro-
fessionals in their local communities. To sustain a teacher in
the profession is to take critical approaches to changes within
the system at every institutional level. Again, the shortage of
Hispanic male teachers in the field is not by accident. This
shortage was systematically and historically constructed by
educational institutions that instated barriers to entry be-
ginning at the college transition level (i.e., standardized
testing and access to funding) and later through certification
accessibility, hiring practices, and school resource
allocations.
Historically, recruiting Hispanic male teachers has only
been a political priority in education once a deficit in mul-
tilingual teachers is reached (Milner IV et al., 2013). This
reactive approach to recruiting teachers of color only when
they are visibly absent contributes to the growing decline in
teachers of color in education. Brooms’(2020) work with
Black male teachers demonstrates the importance of under-
standing their experiences when entering the profession and
their rationale for teaching at schools where students share
similar demographic characteristics. Brooms (2020) con-
siders these insights critical to how institutions recruit and
sustain Black male teachers. To sustain Hispanic male
teachers, educational institutions must use a critical diversity,
equity, and inclusion (DEI) policy lens to reach beyond in-
dicators or policy goals. Sustaining policies for Hispanic male
teachers must include listening to their counternarratives to
implement meaningful strategic plans that consistently al-
locate appropriate resources and personnel to support them.
Findings
Geographic location was a pivotal factor in the experiences of
Hispanic male teachers, as many explicitly stated that their
experiences living inside or not living inside majority His-
panic communities influenced their answers. Over 50% of
survey respondents indicated residing in one of five counties,
including Dallas, El Paso, Harris, Hidalgo, and Bexar. Each
of these locations has a higher percentage of Hispanic people
than the overall percentage in Texas, meaning these counties
are likely meaningful clusters of Hispanic communities.
It is critical to note that the experiences of Hispanic male
teachers are not monolithic. Several participants stated that
generalizing traits to all Hispanic male teachers would falsify
experiences. Thus, we aim to emphasize the diversity of those
who identify as Hispanic, male, and teacher in our study. We
discuss four themes: (1) becoming a future role model to
Hispanic students, (2) dismantling stereotypical assumptions
around being Hispanic and male, (3) confronting racism
within the teacher role, and (4) the burden of being the
translator, disciplinarian, and educator all in one. We hope the
reader honors the diversity within and between participants
while considering these meaningful contributions. There is
conceptual overlap in these themes, especially regarding
racism in teachers’roles; as such, we invite readers to view
the themes as overlapping and interconnected portraits of
survey responses rather than discrete and separate aspects of
the Hispanic male teachers’experiences.
Becoming a Future Role Model to Hispanic Students
Data collected about survey participants’pathway to teaching
are described in Table 3, including the highest level of ed-
ucation, status as first-generation students, professional
preparation, and whether they are members of a professional
education organization. These results point toward the in-
spirations and influences of teaching for Hispanic male
teachers.
Several participants perceived their status as first-
generation graduates enhanced their ability to connect with
students and heightened their sense of responsibility as role
models.
Iamafirst-generation college-educated male role model. I
consider my story to be an inspirational anecdote and integral
part of making a difference in students vision for their future in
making decisions about their education.
Less than 35% of respondents indicated they had an
undergraduate major in education, with a leading 51% in-
dicating that they had intended alternative certification. The
suggestion that most Hispanic male teachers first considered
teaching while in higher education is supported by the results
in Table 4. According to Martinez and Huerta (2020), the
structural barriers within K-12 education limit Latino males
from pursuing higher education, ultimately influencing their
decisions to enter the teaching profession. Nontraditional
paths to teaching are evident in the wide variety of prior
careers participants held before becoming a teacher.
Participants in this study discussed receiving encourage-
ment from friends, family, and community members to
pursue the teaching profession. Regarding family members
who are teachers, the leading responses were partners,
Ekpe et al. 5
siblings, parents, and extended families, with female family
members mentioned throughout several responses.
My wife was a big inspiration in me choosing to be a teacher. She
saw how my retail experience would translate into a teaching
career, and she was right! Retail has something to sell and in
teaching I see it the same way, I want my kiddos to “buy in”in
what I am teaching them. As a migrant farmer worker, my mom
also pushed me to get an education.
Participants also stated they decided to enter the teaching
profession because of their past teachers. Responses often
described teachers, coaches, and directors from their
schooling who were passionate about their subjects and
demonstrated care and encouragement for their students.
Accordingly, teachers in this study spoke a great deal about
being able to positively influence their students the way
previous role models influenced them.
My head football coach in high school was a man who not
only was one of the best coaches in the history of Texas
Football …He made “doing the right thing always”look
easy. He modeled “life”formeandallofmyteammates.He
was charitable and would have done anything for anyone. He
took the time to be there for anyone who needed help outside
the realm of athletics.
When asked why participants became teachers, the
leading response was “to make a positive impact.”Several
participants elaborated on their motivations, such as “to
inspire students as I was once inspired to become more than
what I thought was possible.”Some participants were
motivated to elevate their cultures through the curriculum.
In the words of one participant: “to bring greater awareness
to the contributions of Tejanos to the political, cultural, and
historical landscape of Texas.”Others felt an obligation to
lift up students from their community.
Table 3. Survey Participants’Pathways to Teaching.
Characteristics n%
Highest education level
Associates 7 0.8
Bachelor’s 288 34.3
Bachelor’s plus continuing education 160 19.1
Master’s 297 35.4
Master’s, working toward a doctorate 34 4.1
EdD 3 0.4
PhD 11 1.3
Other 5 0.6
Status as first-generation student
Yes 528 62.9
No 249 29.7
I did not attend 1 0.1
Professional preparation
Alternative certification program 430 51.3
4-year university with a major/focus other than education 318 37.9
TEA certification 297 35.4
4-year university with a major in education or formal teacher preparation 293 34.9
Substitute teaching experience 141 16.8
High school teacher pathway program or other mentoring 58 6.9
Some community college coursework 56 6.7
Other 45 5.4
Some teacher preparation and/or experience outside of the U.S. 33 3.9
Associate of arts in teaching at community college 32 3.8
Study abroad experience 29 3.5
Working towards teaching certification 23 2.7
Member of a professional education association
Yes 166 19.8
No 612 72.9
Note. In our approach to equitable data collection, several questions were multi-select or had open-ended response options. Participants were also given the
option to select demographic questions to refrain from answering. As a result, percentages did not equal 100%. All percentages were calculated from the total
survey responses (n= 839).
6Journal of Education 0(0)
To help our students in our Hispanic community. To help them
achieve their goals as a student and help them succeed in their
future. I grew up without Bilingual programs and took advantage
of today’s programs by helping our future.
The various inspirations and influences the Hispanic male
teachers presented serve as a poignant reminder that the
pathways leading individuals to the teaching profession are
diverse, particularly when examining the experiences of ra-
cially and ethnically minoritized educators.
Dismantling Stereotypical Assumptions Around Being
Hispanic and Male
A multi-select question asked which of the listed traits
Hispanic male teachers possess; the top four traits were
each selected by more than 50% of participants. These
included a cultural sense of humanity and an approachable
attitude, a deep devotion to cultural strength, traditions,
and standards, demonstrated patience and willingness to
work with all students, and an innate ability to serve as a
role model for the youth they teach and guide. When given
the ability to add additional qualities, participants ex-
pressed elements of their identity and culture as qualities
that improve their teaching by facilitating change by
overcoming stereotypes.
The intersecting identities of “Male”and “Latino”or
similar self-identifications introduced the Spanish term
“machismo,”which has been defined as hyper-traditional
or hyper-masculine and frequently has a negative conno-
tation characterization (Mirand´
e, 1997). The influence of
masculine identification within a predominantly feminine
profession impacted how participants believed they were
perceived. Participants felt their presence in the profession
defied machismo stereotypes, with one participating
expressing,
A Hispanic male doesn’t think of teaching as a profession. There
is a machismo culture that says teaching is a woman’s profession.
Give respect to teachers by paying them much more than they are
currently given. Allow a man to support his family with his
teaching salary, and then maybe Hispanic men would be more
open to the idea.
Participants discussed the historical and ongoing stig-
matization they experienced as Hispanic male teachers and
shared how their relationships with students aided in re-
moving the stereotypes.
One participant states, “I feel like I’m expected to do more,
not only as a male teacher but as a Hispanic male teacher and
with little to no support. I’m there for the students but who is
there for me?”Hispanic male educators in this study fre-
quently experienced a sense of obligation to combat the
prevailing stereotypes actively and visibly, not only within
the educational setting but also within their broader com-
munities. This responsibility encompasses a commitment to
challenging and redefining societal perceptions of mascu-
linity, extending beyond the confines of the classroom to
influence the broader societal perspective (Griffin, 2018).
Further, participants felt it important to defy the stereotypes
without abandoning their identity and background:
Just breaking stereotypes. What I am hoping for is a world where
being Hispanic has zero impact on my teaching or how others
view me as a teacher. My heritage is important, but it is just a part
of what makes me the man I am today.
Another participant discussed how stereotypes imposed on
him made him feel isolated:
Paired with the stereotype that male Hispanics are nationalistic,
whether pro-Mexico or pro-USA, I occasionally got the feeling
that I was expected to be a tightly disciplined teacher who
emphasized national/cultural pride.
Participants felt their presence as teachers benefited their
Hispanic communities because they represented individuals
who did not adhere to the stereotypical qualities of Hispanic
males. One participant states,
Table 4. Survey Participants’Initial Interest in Teaching.
Characteristics n%
Age when had first Hispanic/Latino male teacher
None 126 15.0
K-5 213 25.4
6–8 192 22.9
9–12 154 18.4
Post-secondary (college/University) 70 8.3
First considered teaching
Elementary 51 6.1
Middle school 46 5.6
High school 185 22.3
College/university 484 58.3
Intimate or extended family members are teachers
Yes 519 61.9
No 244 29.1
Individual who influenced participants to become a teacher
Past teachers 426 50.8
Family member 196 23.4
Other 145 17.3
Friend 114 13.6
Religious leader 22 2.6
Community or civic leader 19 2.3
Note. In our approach to equitable data collection, several questions were
multi-select or had open-ended response options. Participants were also
given the option to select demographic questions to refrain from answering.
As a result, percentages did not equal 100%. All percentages were calculated
from the total survey responses (n= 839).
Ekpe et al. 7
I feel as if I don’tfit a stereotype role. I don’t exert the machismo
stereotype. I love teaching. With that, some in the Latino
community would say that’s a weakness. Those are the ones that
are the first to ask for my help.
Participants discussed how being Hispanic and male
created stereotypes that influenced their roles, responsibili-
ties, and pedagogical approaches. One participant explained,
As an educator (not Latino), I am expected to do everything. As a
Latino, I am expected to be perfect in English and Spanish. As a
male, I am expected to be the disciplinarian and protectors of the
school.
These stereotypical assumptions undoubtedly shape the
expectations and representations of Hispanic male
teachers.
Confronting Racism within the Teacher Role
Several participants provided narratives of overt racism and
discrimination, citing these experiences as reasons for con-
sidering leaving the teaching profession. Many of these ac-
counts were based on racism the Hispanic male teachers faced
in their roles. Others experienced microaggressions through
student interactions, with one participant stating that a student
expressed surprise to have a Hispanic male teacher since “the
only male Hispanic that she saw work in a school were the
janitors.”Another participant recounted an occasion in which
they were not only confused as “a janitor on campus by a
white female teacher”but the same colleague “threatened to
call the police on [him].”The same participant recounted
white colleagues making racist comments to them about
“minority students and staff”and “assuming [they] are white
and racist like them.”
Another participant expressed how Hispanic teachers were
overlooked when it came to administrative roles, as well as
how his colleagues would make racist comments toward him.
This particular teacher expressed being:
…passed over for leadership roles on campus and are imme-
diately seen as “trouble-makers”when questioning admin de-
cisions…I usually did not laugh or tolerate their casual racism
disguised as “jokes.”I’ve also had my ethnicity questioned by
white teachers as I may not have met their “threshold”for who
qualifies as Hispanic for not being expertly fluent in the language
or for not being of darker skin.
Many participants noted experiencing barriers to profes-
sional upward mobility, even attributing it to in-group fa-
voritism or discrimination. One participant specifically
shared feelings of tokenism within their frustrations,
There is a sense of unjust equality within my school district and
the nepotism that has caused my lateral and upward career
movements to be stalled …We are used as political and social
pawns to either demonize us or tear us down as a collective
group.
Additionally, participants discussed how administrators
would employ racism by misidentifying and confusing
Hispanic teachers:
On my first day, I was asked several times if I was the new
Spanish teacher when I came in to teach a tested subject. The
administration confuses me for another teacher who vaguely
resembles me, but because we are Hispanic, we are apparently
twins. I’ve been given important documents to sign for the
other Hispanic teachers out of confusion from my head
principal.
A significant portion of participants indicated an internal
conflict between the racism and discrimination they experi-
ence in the workplace. When discussing leaving the pro-
fession, one participant said they considered leaving “because
of the disrespect shown by the state and my superiors.”The
same participant said the “love in my heart for the betterment
of young people”keeps them in the field, further stating that
they felt a sense of responsibility to their students and
community because “there’s no line of teachers at the door
wanting my job.”
The Burden of Being the Translator, Disciplinarian,
and Educator All in One
Table 5 describes participant responses relating to perceptions
of sustainability within profession.
Participants discussed being charged with additional re-
sponsibilities due to their intersecting identities. Similar to
Lara & Fr´
anquiz, 2015 study, these findings support the
assertion that minoritized teachers, particularly Hispanic
men, carry the invisible labor to bridge cultural gaps in white
hegemonic spaces. This additional role as a cultural bridge
demands that these teachers navigate a nuanced under-
standing and representation of Hispanic culture in contexts
less attuned to these cultural variations (Bergey et al., 2019).
The expectation to serve as a cultural intermediary became a
substantial challenge for specific individuals. One participant
said that this role “...is a huge one as much of the music
curriculum is Eurocentric and denigrates (if it even mentions)
the music of Latin America and the Caribbean as not
comparable.”
Participants discussed the mistaken assumption by many
in their school contexts that all Hispanic male educators are
fluent in Spanish, as many who did not speak Spanish still felt
expected to translate for students and families. The conflation
of race and language in these interactions can be perceived as
a manifestation of stereotyping or discrimination. Moreover,
the added pressure to connect with and support emergent
bilingual students and their families extends beyond
8Journal of Education 0(0)
conventional classroom roles, further straining the respon-
sibilities of Hispanic male teachers (Griffin, 2018;Okraski &
Madison, 2020). However, some participants shared that this
responsibility built rapport with teachers and students. For
example:
I am better able to relate with their situations and it’s easier for me
to have conversations with them. There is also a sense of safety
with the parents when there isn’t a translator necessary to have a
conversation with the teacher.
On the other hand, other participants were assumed to be
bilingual and expected to provide translation services.
I’ve been made the Spanish teacher due to my family being from
Mexico, even after protesting that I don’t have a grasp on ac-
ademic Spanish…[at the same time] a white counterpart was
given the English department job with less years of experience
teaching overall.
Participants also shared a spoken and unspoken pressure to
be proficient at and assume responsibility for behavior in-
tervention, a burden they felt was tied to their identity.
Sometimes it is expected on my campus that the male Hispanic
teachers be quite aggressive and almost like a drill major or coach
role. I do not like that approach, and it is something that I do not
like having to do in order to get a student to behave or correct
their negative behavior.
Sixty-two percent of respondents indicated they had
considered leaving the profession in the last three years.
Discrimination as a barrier to professional success in edu-
cation is well documented (Bergey et al., 2019;Ladson-
Billings, 2005), specifically for underrepresented individ-
uals seeking upward mobility. Cultural taxation is another
barrier to teacher retention (Joseph & Hirshfield, 2011).
Teachers’additional emotional labor often leads to exhaus-
tion and burnout (Okraski & Madison, 2020). Participants
expressed distress from the imposition of balancing uplifting
vulnerable students and community members while also
trying to preserve their well-being.
I spend too much time worried about my students and their
families, creating opportunities for them in the community and
beyond, and I’m spent by the time I get home, robbing my family
from quality time and a healthy upbringing.
Participants cited the education system overall as the
source of their frustration, and some pointed to the lack of
support for Hispanic students.
As a Hispanic teacher in a school where the demographic is 40%
Hispanic, but there is no Hispanic staff is disheartening.
Sometimes it feels like its done on purpose. The Hispanic stu-
dents are constantly being looked over. The counseling and go
center team never focuses on them. They instead feel the need to
go to me or the one other Hispanic teacher that works with us.
Others were frustrated with the administration and their
professional experiences.
…the continued over-emphasis on state-mandating testing that
only trains students to pass a test instead of actually learning
content …many administrators don’t have the mental capacity to
understand the complex things that teachers have to teach their
students. They can only give shallow feedback or meaningless
platitudes that don’t improve student learning in any
significant way.
The additional labor assigned to Hispanic male teachers
creates environments of stress and attribution. Moreover,
participants described how these additional responsibilities
manifest through increased class size, with several indicating
Table 5. Survey Participants’Retention in Teaching.
Characteristics n%
Considered leaving teaching in the last 3 years
Yes 523 62.3
No 244 29.1
Most effective retention strategy
Increased retirement benefits 411 49.0
Positive work environment 148 17.6
Autonomy as a classroom teacher and input on school decisions 139 16.6
Encountered stereotypes regarding role as educator in community
Yes 405 48.3
No 317 37.8
Note. In our approach to equitable data collection, several questions were multi-select or had open-ended response options. Participants were also given the
option to select demographic questions to refrain from answering. As a result, percentages did not equal 100%. All percentages were calculated from the total
survey responses (n= 839).
Ekpe et al. 9
that their class size was larger than their peers due to the
favorable rapport and relatability with students.
Discussion
Overall, this study contributes to the research on under-
represented teachers in the education field. We consider the
study’s significance with Dr Tyrone Howard’s (2024)
question, “What is required to imagine educational
spaces free of racial injustice?”How can we sustain teachers
of color, such as Hispanic male teachers, within education
by utilizing a critical approach to thriving (Love, 2019)?
Regarding our first finding of becoming a future role model
to Hispanic students, more recruitment strategies in edu-
cational settings should use a comprehensive approach
inclusive of current Hispanic male educators to create
tailored support programs for current and prospective
teachers. Toward this aim, school-university-community
partnerships can utilize the findings to inform future ef-
forts toward recruiting Hispanic male students into the
teaching profession early in their educational careers
(Santoro, 2011).
Continuing in our findings, our second theme focused on
dismantling stereotypes associated with being Hispanic and
male within the teaching profession. Participants’narratives
expressed that while Hispanic male teachers’experiences
were not monolithic, there were distinct similarities, such as
the impact on the students they teach and those students
seeing their teachers as role models (Singh, 2019). Many
participants emphasized this was one reason why these
teachers stayed in their professions. As a result, schools can
institute mentoring programs at the early stages of Hispanic
male students’educational pursuits, which can contribute to
pathways in entering the teaching profession. For example,
Hispanic male students who receive mentoring from His-
panic male teachers gain the knowledge associated with
navigating the educational landscape (Singh, 2019), seeking
resources as it relates to academic requirements to enter the
field, and how to foreground their cultural backgrounds in
the classroom (Bergey et al., 2019;Bristol & Martin-
Fernandez, 2019). Additionally, in this finding, partici-
pants described combatting stereotypes. An anti-racist ap-
proach is needed in analyzing how dominant ideologies
associated with Hispanic male teachers impose harm and
further exacerbate inequities within the school system. An
anti-racist approach employs a commitment to dismantling
harmful policies that reinforce racism.
In our third finding of confronting racism in teacher roles and
how marginalization operates in educational settings, partici-
pants discussed facing discrimination by their colleagues, ad-
ministrators, and students. The rate at which participants
responded in the current survey that they had considered leaving
the profession in the past three years (62%) was higher than that
of the recent National Education Association survey (2022), in
which 55% of educators agreed that they are thinking about
leaving teaching earlier than they planned, which in part could
be due to discrimination faced within these schools. To combat
racism within K-12 educational systems, again, we need anti-
racist policies that ascertain comprehensive, culturally inclusive
implementation; policies that are not performative but set ex-
plicit expectations for workplace culture, and hiring and staffing
that relates to sustaining historically minoritized teachers while
ensuring informed decision-making that is based on true racial
equity principles where these teachers can thrive (Love, 2019)
without fighting to survive. For example, while professional
development elements associated with cultural competencies
serve as an introductory educational method for educators, such
interventions can be seen as superficial and require additional
policy changes and systems of accountability to be put in place.
Policy considerations should be localized to specific contexts
and work closely with the teachers impacted locally and na-
tionally. Thus, it is important to emphasize that there is no one-
size-fits-all or immediate fix for systemic issues that Hispanic
male teachers in our schools face without the discussion of
abolition (Love, 2019). Educational institutions must have a
foundation that prohibits racist policies and practices at all levels
(for more, see citation: Ekpe & Roach, 2023).
Lastly, within our final finding, the additional duties as-
signed to Hispanic male teachers of being the translator,
disciplinarian, and educator, participants emphasized beyond
the typical responsibilities of a teacher, being tasked with
invisible labor that, in turn, made their jobs more difficult.
Knowing this, to recognize and nullify forms of cultural
taxation on Hispanic male teachers and other minoritized
teachers, administrators must take heed of the impact the
additional labor Hispanic male teachers are forced to endure
due to the lack of support systems for Hispanic students in K-
12 schools (Santoro, 2011). While policies that compensate
teachers for these additional duties (e.g., merit pay, stipends,
and change in titles) offer incentivized opportunities, these
forms of compensation do not remove the imposition of
having to carry out the hidden duties often placed on racially
and ethnically minoritized educators. Furthermore, it is im-
portant to recognize that such policies do not eliminate the
burden of additional labor (Santoro, 2011). Since additional
labor has become detrimental to teachers’well-being and
contributions in the field, we invite other educational re-
searchers and policymakers to consider new imaginations of
policies that re-center the roles of teachers’agency in the
redistribution and elimination of excessive labor. Countering
burnout would mean providing Hispanic male teachers the
autonomy to fully succeed by removing systemic barriers that
impede on the ability to perform their responsibilities.
Limitations, Implications, and Conclusion
Limitations
Since the survey design prioritized ethical and equitable data
collection, several participants had response options that were
10 Journal of Education 0(0)
qualitative, multi-select, or that could be left blank; ac-
cordingly, the percentages of participant responses represent
the percentage of responses rather than the percentage of
participants. This has limitations for future studies seeking to
do quantitative meta-analyses, which, if done, should care-
fully consider our methodological approach. This includes
the fact that our identification of participants again came from
the PEIMS, which had limited options for selecting identity
categories and thus needs to be revised to capture the entirety
of Hispanic male teachers’identities. For example, in the
PEIMS question that asked participants to identify their race/
ethnicity, participants could either choose “Hispanic”or “two
or more races,”precluding those who had chosen the “two or
more races”from specifying “Hispanic.”Because of the
mutually exclusive category selections, the results of the
surveys reflect those participants who solely identified as
“Hispanic.”
As survey responses were only collected from approxi-
mately 5.8% of the total population of Hispanic male teachers
in Texas, readers should be critical of the generalizability of
the findings presented in this study. Rather than read findings
as a representative of all Hispanic male teachers, we en-
courage readers to see these findings in relation to the vast
diversity of identities, experiences, and aspirations of His-
panic male teachers. As researchers, we understand the
limitations within survey design and implementation, in-
cluding the concern of access to the Hispanic male educator
population, as participants may not have felt inclined to share
all facets of their experiences. This is especially true given the
tense political context of education in Texas, which has been
recently characterized by the banning of books having to do
with minoritized people and the anti-DEI laws that continue
to further marginalize teachers and students in public schools.
Implications
The study presents implications for educational entities. First,
the research underscores the importance of asset-based ap-
proaches in understanding the experiences of Hispanic male
teachers. When schools acknowledge and support Hispanic
male teachers’cultural capital, their unique experiences are
recognized through intentional curriculum design and im-
plementation and culturally responsive and relevant peda-
gogy that honors their diverse backgrounds. Such asset-based
approaches would likely contribute to overall student success
and the reduction of turnover for racially and ethnically
minoritized teachers. This will allow for a more complex
interrogation of practices and policies that sustain Hispanic
male teachers by providing the material and environmental
resources to thrive (Love, 2019). Similarly, contributing
toward relationship-building in the Hispanic male community
is necessary for the success of individuals in education and
society (Singh, 2019).
There is substantial evidence that Latino teachers can play
a critical role in meeting their Latinx students’emotional and
social needs (Bristol & Martin-Fernandez, 2019;Carey,
2023;Santoro, 2011). Thus, the sustainable presence of
Hispanic male educators is critical in creating inclusive
learning environments for Hispanic students (Lara &
Fr´
anquiz, 2015). This is extremely important as the demo-
graphic makeup of our schools will witness an increase in the
Hispanic population, which matches the demographic shift in
society. The Hispanic male teachers’perspectives in this
study emphasize the importance of a more just education
system, specifically, a future system of education in which
racially and ethnically minoritized teachers are safe from
exploitation and celebrated through their nuanced identities.
Conclusion
This study hopes to inform programming that is designed to
recruit, prepare, support, and sustain Hispanic male teachers
working in public schools in Texas by providing experiences
and insights to how they best thrive. Additionally, it informs
how the Maestro program at TCU and programs alike, can
advocate for policies and school leadership that eliminate the
barriers for these teachers and provide opportunities for
success. As such, the Maestro program has begun to host
annual conferences with local Hispanic male teachers to build
a network of support that begins with programming within
the university but extends to a state, and eventually a nation-
wide level.
The findings presented in this study are relevant across in-
terlocking policy systems, including the school, district, and
state-wide levels, as well as potentially toward national efforts to
recruit and sustain more Hispanic male teachers. Policymakers
working toward sustained racial equity for underrepresented
teachers, such as Hispanic male teachers, must examine these
teachers’diverse, multifaceted identities and the wide breadth of
experiences in preparation for and within the teaching profes-
sion. This includes and extends beyond the complexity of the
term “Hispanic”as a limiting understanding of ethnic and na-
tional identity. It also requires planning for policy interventions
that address Hispanic male teachers’varied challenges and
successes in their schools and communities.
Acknowledgments
We humbly thank the teachers who participated in the National
Hispanic Male Teacher Survey (NHMTS) in 2022. Additionally, we
acknowledge Dr Kayla Bullard and Dr Elissa Bryant for contributing
to the survey construction and distribution. Lastly, we would like to
thank Dr Michael V. Singh for his critical feedback on the early
stages of our paper.
Declaration of Conflicting Interests
The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with
respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this
article.
Ekpe et al. 11
Funding
The author(s) received no financial support for the research, au-
thorship, and/or publication of this article.
ORCID iDs
Leslie Ekpe https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1353-5560
Nicole Weinberg https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9289-116X
Steve Przymus https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1882-453X
Notes
1. The published TEA snapshot data from the PEIMS report of the
2021–2022 school year reports a smaller number of full-time
employees (n= 369,696), potentially due to this number ex-
cluding part-time teachers, substitutes, paraprofessionals, or
other support staff. It is also possible that some participants were
employed in more than one school or district, leading to some
individuals being included more than once. It is necessary to note
that, since this data was from the previous school year, some of
the potential participants identified may have changed schools or
districts, and therefore email addresses had been removed from
their previous employment.
2. The PEIMS options for ethnicity included: Hispanic/Latino,
American Indian, or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African
American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, White, or
Two or More Races.
3. Only questions that were true open-ended responses were in-
cluded, and not, for example, questions in which participants
could list an alternative answer under “other.”A total of nine
open-ended response questions were included in the average
response length analysis. Average response lengths were cal-
culated inclusive of those who declined to respond (i.e., character
length was zero for those participants).
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