This year was my first in a high school classroom. Prior to this I taught nine years in college across all levels of physics. I love teaching and physics. But the longer I've been a physics educator, the more I have noticed that physics is often thought of as a "tough" course meant to "weed out" students, and that this perception does not impact all populations equally. Racial gaps in graduation rates from STEM programs are well documented,~1 and contrast starkly with the similar entry rates observed.~(2,3) This is exacerbated by gender inequities.~(4,5), Further, the disparity in female, Black, and Hispanic students completing degres in STEM fields cannot be explained by preparation levels or socioeconomic status.~(1,6) Research suggests that underrepresented populations seek degrees that allow them to help communities, and the completion discrepancy is evidence that STEM fields are not being presented in this way.~(7,8)
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