Teachers rotation as a symptom of social exclusion phenomenon in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua

Abstract

This paper presents the findings of a research project focused on school dynamics and teaching practices: entry into the educational system, daily practice, and changes in school placements, in vulnerable contexts in the border area of Chihuahua. The research is approached from an interpretive perspective, using a narrative method; fieldwork was conducted through in-depth interviews and discussion groups. Thirty-six teachers were interviewed, working in elementary schools in federal and state schools located in the designated priority areas in Ciudad Juárez, in neighborhoods where residents face poverty and social rights are limited. Based on interviewees comments, teachers’ arguments regarding transfer requests (proximity to their place of origin, insecurity, vandalism, deficiencies, work shift) are symptomatic of exclusion and marginalization issues, reflecting a fragile educational system and a highly problematic and complex context. The dynamics within schools thus mirror social dynamics; as a border city, Juárez is a transient place, a temporary settlement while possibilities for a better life are evaluated. Migrants come and go incessantly, much like the protagonists of these stories drift in and out of schools, constantly watching the horizon for an opportunity.