When Teachers Bully — Microaggressions, Bias, and The Sisters: How Unspoken Rules and Everyday Biases Shape Our Schools

"It doesn’t matter anyway. You know the Sisters aren’t gonna do anything about it."

The words hit like a gut punch.

They weren’t talking about siblings or family. They meant our two Black female administrators?—?the only people of color in leadership.

The casual tone, the knowing snort, and the way they dismissed their authority as biased?—?this wasn’t gossip. It was a microaggression cloaked in familiarity.

It made me wonder: If White female teachers reduce Black administrators to "The Sisters," what are they projecting onto their Black students?

I left the room, hands shaking. I wanted to call them out, to demand accountability. But I knew anger wouldn’t change their minds.

Instead, I walked back to my classroom, played a meditation video, and let the familiar voice calm my emotions. I needed my center?—?for my students and myself.

Old School Angst

That morning started differently. Driving to work, I listened to the rhythm of an old high school anthem, letting it pull me into teenage nostalgia.

Back then, there were no cell phones or social media to amplify mistakes. Life was raw, unfiltered, and immediate.

As I parked in the school lot, the nostalgia faded. The day ahead demanded my focus.

A Seat by Ms. Tootsie

Our weekly Professional Learning Community (PLC) meetings feel like an adult version of The Breakfast Club. Cliques, biases, and whispered alliances shape the room just as much as the stated agenda.

That day, I noticed Ms. Tootsie, a new paraprofessional, sitting alone. I joined her, and we began talking about the dynamics of our school?—?a place where being an outsider feels like a liability unless you know the rules of the game.

We laughed about the "cheerleaders" in the room?—?those carrying invisible privileges. But Ms. Tootsie’s guarded expression revealed she had already felt the weight of these unspoken rules.

The Systemic Heartbeat of Bias

This wasn’t an isolated incident. It was part of a larger issue?—?the systemic heartbeat of bias that echoes through education.

Some teachers wear their “highly effective” labels like armor, protecting themselves from accountability. But behind closed doors, their unchecked biases ripple through classrooms and harm students.

Many commute from affluent, predominantly White neighborhoods to teach in diverse districts, disconnected from the realities of their students’ lives. Poverty, systemic inequities, and under-resourced communities are mere backdrops to their professional lives.

Why aren’t we prioritizing hiring from within the communities we serve?

Without systems to address bias, microaggressions like the "Sisters" comment fester.

Petty Hecklers and Cultural Boundaries

This discomfort with cultural boundaries extends beyond school walls.

On social media, conversations about cultural appropriation are constant. Black creators frequently ask non-Black individuals to respect the origins of terms like "sis," "bruh," and "fam." These words aren’t just slang—they’re rooted in cultural solidarity and history. Yet, when non-Black individuals adopt them without understanding their significance, it often feels dismissive and disrespectful.

This disregard for cultural ownership mirrors the dynamics in classrooms, where students’ cultural expressions are too often misunderstood or dismissed. When educators fail to respect these boundaries, it reinforces a broader message that cultural voices can be silenced or co-opted without consequence.

Unburdening the Future

As a teacher, I am deeply aware of how my role shapes my students’ experiences. With this role comes responsibility:

• To speak out against injustice.
• To challenge harmful assumptions and practices.
• To hold myself and my colleagues accountable.

When I think of my daughters, I know change is possible.

We owe it to them?—?and to every student?—?to build a system that respects and reflects their brilliance.

Let’s stop hiding behind rubrics and start examining our hearts.

Every student deserves to feel seen, not as “others,” but as equals.

What Do You Think?

• Have you witnessed bias in the workplace?
• How can schools address microaggressions and create inclusive, equitable environments?

Drop your thoughts below or share this article with someone passionate about education and equity.