Re-Righting History: A Phenomenological Study Addressing Teaching an Amended Version of American History
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Authors
Bernard, Constance
Issue Date
2026-02
Type
Dissertation
Language
en
Keywords
Educational Leadership & Learning Lifelong , History , State- Mandated Curriculum , WOKE
Alternative Title
Abstract
The problem that this phenomenological research addressed was the lack of interpretative research centered on educators' lived experiences of being required to navigate state-mandated curricular expectations related to slavery and its historical legacy (Dallman, 2024). The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine how educators interpret their professional accountability, ethical responsibilities, and instructional decision-making within the context of the legally imposed curricular mandates (Moffa, 2022). My research topic highlighted the lived experiences of educators regarding the implemented mandates surrounding changing the narrative of American history as it relates to enslaved individuals and the subsequent mistreatment of their descendants. Particularly, the bans and restrictions that are being placed on teaching American history. Eight participants were purposively selected for this research. For the research, participants were given a questionnaire and also took part in an interview. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was employed in conjunction with NVivo software to analyze the data. Themes indicated that educators were only vaguely familiar with the bans and legislation; they all expressed their personal feelings and concerns for students. Other themes pertained to curriculum content factors, the impact of the changed narrative, and the training and professional development required to implement it. This study’s findings demonstrated that, despite educators' disagreement with legal mandates, many feel they are not as familiar with their state’s regulations as they would like to be. Recommendations and contributions for practice for future research include examining the long-term impact of amended curricula on student knowledge, social attitudes, and civic engagement of American history.