Do Many TFAers Exclude TFA from Their Bios? A Search.
On August 19. 2017, I wrote a post about a Teach for America (TFA) alum, Sarah, who excluded mentioning TFA on two bios, one for her blog, and another, on Linkedin. I was intrigued by a former TFAer purposely excluding mention of TFA because TFA works so hard to promote itself, especially through its alumni after these individuals have left the classroom after the usual two years.
I used publicly-available information to compost my initial post, and a subsequent post on August 20, 2017. I maintain that the publicly-available information in both posts stands on its own merit. However, Sarah included a comment on Diane Ravitch’s blog, where the first post was cross-posted on August 21, 2017. Sarah disagrees with my not contacting her prior to posting, and she includes the following as part of her comment:
Better yet, she (Schneider) could have contacted more TFA alums and asked if we included TFA on our resumes, and why or why not. That might have made for a post that actually informed readers about how alums see their experiences.
Sarah and I disagree on both the value and construction of my first post. However, her point about attempting to contact other TFA alumni about including or excluding TFA on their bios has my attention. And so, with this post, I am soliciting information from former TFAers as to whether they have decided to mention TFA on their bios or avoid such mention, and why.
I am especially curious about former TFAers who try to distance themselves from the organization.
Of course, I realize that those who have made a conscious effort to avoid mentioning TFA on bios might be less likely to want to draw attention to their omission than those who are fine with including TFA are with publicizing their inclusion.
Still, if any who read this post are TFA alum and are so inclined to respond, those responses could do what Sarah, wrote, “[make] for a post that actually [informs] readers about how (TFA) alums see their experiences.”
We’ll see where this goes.
Thank you in advance to those who elect to comment.
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Schneider is a southern Louisiana native, career teacher, trained researcher, and author of two other books: A Chronicle of Echoes: Who’s Who In the Implosion of American Public Education and Common Core Dilemma: Who Owns Our Schools?. You should buy these books. They’re great. No, really.
It’s a compelling avenue of research to pursue. I’ve heard of employees excluding prior, perceived toxic, employers like big tobacco, big Pharma and chemical companies from their resumes. The study results will be interesting.
As a member of the public, I’d also like to know if there is proportional representation for Black former TFA’ ers in management positions with “ed philanthropies” and government education bureaucracies (after their TFA stints). I wouldn’t want to think there was a preference in hiring for White TFA’s. (To clarify my use of the word “White” in the former sentence, the reference is to the demographic group, not to John White, former TFA’er and current appointed Louisiana schools chief. BTW, did John White’s position go through an equal employment opportunity process?)
I’m curious, would “Sarah” have any speculation on the subject of management opportunities for Black vs.White TFA’ers based on her observations?