You’ll eventually get masters when you start teaching anyways. Even if you start with undergrad. First of all you need credits every few years to renew your certificate so it makes sense to just get a degree and second of all your salary is much higher. So even if you start with BA or BS you typically will go for Masters very quickly (obtaining it while working full time- pain in a neck but doable).

Many high school offer elective English courses which include ethnic literature. No it’s not just American Lit necessarily

Professorship at a community college level isn’t a bad idea if that’s what you want and you can teach with Masters (although PhD is preferable) BUT honestly you might have hard time getting a job. Someone I know is currently interviewing for a full time position at a community college and she’ll likely get it because she is great but she isn’t 100% sure because there are ton of candidates. She has been teaching high school over 15 years and is actually enrolled in PhD but says she might not finish as its so time consuming. So I’ll be honest if you never taught before and will apply for community college rught after getting masters you might have rough time getting a job

Many people looking for jobs in colleges end up relocating because there are only that many colleges around. That woman you mentioned will be relocating although not too far

As about “bending to districts way” if you teach high school, at any job (unless it’s your own private business) you’d have to follow guidelines and you’d have to do some bending. Professors at college level have to do their share of bending. You won’t be able to teach totally what you want in college either. Anywhere. I’d say freedom is limited everywhere you go. You can open your own school and still run into having to bend to “states way”. If bending isn’t your thing lol teaching might not be for you as it involves ton of bending lol

Got to go to work. Might think of more ideas later.