EXAMINING MATHEMATICS TEACHERS’ IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT IN AN AGGRESSIVELY PARTISAN REFORM CONTEXT

Abstract

This investigation highlights the complexities Oklahoma math teachers face in balancing internal and external demands amid aggressively partisan governmental reforms. Findings indicate that teachers assume the responsibility to address all students’ needs while meeting mandated requirements. However, they perceive reforms as creating tension between the internal demand to foster inclusive learning environments and the external demand to privilege Christian and heteronormative identities.Reforms are seen as tools of political and cultural control rather than measures of educational improvement. Oklahoma mathematics teachers grapple with the integration of professional and religious identities in isolated and unsupported ways. Increased demands and reduced support lead teachers to redefine their expectations for agency and engage in defensive, oppositional actions toward the Oklahoma State Department of Education when they perceive boundaries of their role violated. To address these challenges, leaders must foster healthier partnerships and systems that support teacher identity development. Researchers should explore how Christian Nationalism and religious identity intersect with mathematics education to deepen understanding. Policymakers and professional organizations must empower teachers to engage in effective political advocacy without fear of retribution. Supporting teachers in navigating these tensions is essential to ensuring equitable and humanizing mathematics education in Oklahoma.