Nothing nice about it: Critiquing Midwest nice in teacher education

Abstract

In teacher education, critical scholars have lamented how “niceness” hinders progress toward social and racial justice. A place characteristic of this “niceness” is the Midwestern region of the United States, which the dominant narrative paints as overly agreeable and free of racial inequities. This image overlooks the rampant systemic racism that is foundational to the entire country, allowing the Midwest to tout an ideological stance of Midwest nice—a race-evasive semblance of social and political politeness that is seemingly harmless. This conceptual article draws on critical race theory and critical geographies of race to analyze how Midwest nice influences Midwestern teacher education programs. By conceptualizing two teacher education sites—educator praxis (an input) and student evaluations of teaching (an output)—we consider the particular plight of Women of Color critical scholars instructing preservice teachers in the Midwest. We subsequently explore what this critique of Midwest nice means for the field, arguing that teacher education programs in the Midwest perpetuate racial inequity and violence through Midwest nice. Ultimately, we urge a teacher education program to institutionally support efforts that expose and disrupt Midwest nice’s preservation of social and racial injustice.