mSphere of Influence: No More Excuses—Addressing Race, Racism, and Socioeconomic Issues in the Science Classroom and Laboratory

Abstract

Pascale Guiton works in the field of parasitology at a primarily undergraduate institution. In this mSphere of Influence article, she reflects on her difficulties as a faculty of color to discuss socioscientific issues in her classrooms. T. Pascale Guiton works in the field of parasitology at a primarily undergraduate institution. In this mSphere of Influence article, she reflects on her difficulties as a faculty of color to discuss socioscientific issues in her classrooms. T. D. Sadler’s article “Situating socio-scientific issues in classrooms as a means of achieving goals of science education” ( in T. Sadler, ed., Socio-Scientific Issues in the Classroom. Contemporary Trends and Issues in Science Education , vol. 39, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1159-4_1 , 2011) made an impact on her by providing her with a framework that allows her to effectively address matters of race, racism, and disparities in the context of science courses, bringing together her identity, her students’ experiences, and her perceived role as a scientist-educator. She urges scientist-educators to make real space in their curricula to address these issues.