Daniel McInnis: Elementary

In 2022, Daniel McInnis began a photographic survey of elementary schools in the Toledo metropolitan area, documenting both the people—teachers, staff, and administrators—and the physical spaces these professionals inhabit. The project’s fosters a greater appreciation for the individual sacrifices made by elementary educators, as teachers continue to struggle with what American communities have come to expect: low salaries, long hours, scant resources, and degraded facilities.

The Covid-19 pandemic brought on a fresh set of challenges that have not abated: anger directed at teachers for “indoctrinating” students; vilification of diversity-related teaching, much of which began many years prior to Covid-19; and the threat of violence, both physical and emotional, from outside and within. It is no surprise we are now seeing a national crisis around hiring and retention for these kinds of jobs.

Regardless, the teachers McInnis meets are fiercely loyal to their “second families” and often disregard the low salaries for what is, to them, a calling. While elementary spaces are inherently private, this exhibition brings visuality and voice to an often unseen world where young people experience profound developmental growth.

Curator: Tracy Longley-Cook, Associate Professor of Art, School of Fine and Performing Arts at Wright State University