Riley Drake

Riley Drake is an Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, specializing in School Counseling within the Department of Counseling, Rehabilitation, and Human Services. Her work centers on educational justice as a practice of freedom, focusing on how educators can resist oppressive policies and support marginalized youth.

• Education:
  • B.S. in Psychology, Truman State University
  • M.S. in Counseling, Drake University
  • M.Ed. in Educational Leadership, Iowa State University
  • Ph.D. in Social and Cultural Studies of Education, Iowa State University

Drake's research examines educator resistance to restrictive laws, particularly in contexts where discussions of race, gender, and social justice are curtailed. She explores strategies like transformative justice practices and community collaborations that foster inclusive learning environments.

Her recent article documents how educators in multiple U.S. states navigate laws limiting classroom discourse on critical topics, using indirect methods to uphold values of truth-telling, accountability, and student support. This includes case studies of elementary and middle school educators creating LGBTQ+-affirming spaces and integrating social justice into social-emotional learning.