The Exit Interview 01: Sataira Douglas

When she came into the teaching game, Sataira Douglas was a highly regarded rising star in teaching. In a profession that struggles to recruit, let alone retain, Black teachers, Sataira was sought after by multiple school districts. The situation decayed quickly. Microaggressions and macroaggressions. Gaslighting. Frozen out by colleagues. Rumors. Blamed for colleagues health problems. Invisible labor. The stress on family and community members who watched her struggle and still hold her head high. Belittled publicly in front of colleagues. And still, Sataira came to work. Told herself "it could be worse." Worried what would happen to her students if she left. Staying for a community of parents and children that she felt a bond with. Hold your head down. Just do your job. And yet, "I knew I was going to quit by October." But through the pain and professional harm done to her, Sataira found a way to rise. To discover her power. To learn exactly how much was too much.