“They Just Aren’t Ready to Talk about These Things” Middle School Teachers (Mis)Conceptions about Students' Developmental Readiness for Conversations Around Race(ism) and Implications for Practice

This qualitative study examined middle school teachers’ (N=18) beliefs about adolescents’ readiness to discuss race(ism). Although all valued anti-racist curriculum, most avoided discussions, perceiving activities as developmentally inappropriate. Teachers who understood adolescents’ socio-cognitive development showed instructional comfort, highlighting the need to integrate the developmental science into teacher preparation programs.