Chapter 25: Tenets of Social Studies as Tools of Whiteness: Dismantling the Myths

This chapter explores the ways certain uncontested tenets of social studies education work as tools of whiteness in preservice teacher preparation courses. These tenets include the desire for a safe space (DiAngelo, 2011; Leonardo & Porter, 2010), a belief in the importance of social studies teachers remaining unbiased, or neutral (Flanagan & Hindley, 2017) and an insistence on “just teaching the facts.” These expectations render the type of pedagogy and content necessary to confront and interrogate white dominance, out of bounds. However, instructors can debunk and work through these tenets to critically examine whiteness with their students.