The Struggle to Learn: How Non-Native English-Speaking Teachers Are Failing American Freedmen 

The Struggle to Learn: How Non-Native English-Speaking Teachers Are Failing American Freedmen 

Ogbonna Paul Hagins for Philly Word Magazine and Freedmen’s Journal 2.0

 

In Philadelphia, where the education system is already struggling, the last thing American Freedmen children need is more barriers to learning. But that’s exactly what’s happening when immigrant teachers, many of whom speak English with heavy accents, are placed in classrooms. While diversity in education is important, it’s clear that the system is more concerned with filling teacher vacancies than ensuring that kids get the education they deserve.

 

For American Freedmen children, who already deal with the weight of systemic neglect and underfunded schools, having teachers who can’t speak standard English just adds another layer of disadvantage. Let’s be clear: we’re not talking about a slight accent here. We’re talking about teachers who speak in a way that makes it harder for kids to understand basic lessons, let alone excel in school.

 

In an ideal world, teachers would be able to communicate with clarity—standard English, the version of the language used in textbooks, media, and the professional world. This is the version of English students need to master to succeed in the real world. So, when you have teachers who struggle with basic pronunciation or grammar, it’s not just a minor hiccup. It’s a barrier to learning.

 

Now, let’s be real: if this was happening in a school full of white kids, or really anyone other than American Freedmen, you’d see a completely different reaction. No one would tolerate this kind of teaching gap. But for American Freedmen children? It’s just business as usual. The reality is that the system has decided that these kids can fend for themselves, even as they deal with the legacies of slavery, segregation, and ongoing discrimination.

 

We’re expected to adapt to teachers who can’t speak English properly, who have trouble explaining simple concepts because they can’t express themselves in the language we’re all expected to learn. This isn’t about being “sensitive” to immigrant teachers—this is about basic education. If you can’t speak the language properly, how are you supposed to teach it?

 

It’s not just a matter of accents, either. It’s about communication. If teachers can’t explain lessons clearly, how can students learn? How can they engage with the material? How can they get ahead in a system that already stacks the odds against them? You can’t expect kids to succeed in an environment where everything feels like a challenge.

 

And let’s talk about the bigger issue: this isn’t just a local problem. It’s an education system-wide failure. The hiring practices that put teachers with language barriers in front of kids who need the best education possible show how little the system cares about addressing the real needs of American Freedmen children.

 

It’s time to demand better. These kids need teachers who can speak standard English, who can model the language they’ll need to succeed. Not immigrants who can barely communicate in the language the kids need to learn to thrive. American Freedmen children shouldn’t have to adapt to non-native speakers. The teachers need to adapt to these kids’ needs.