Black Students Need their Teachers to See Color; White Students Need it Too by Janel Prinkey

Black Students Need their Teachers to See Color; White Students Need it Too

White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo has been flying off of shelves, sneaking into mailboxes, and lighting up eReaders ever since the murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020. It seems as though America is ready to face some of its subconscious racism, consciously. But where does that leave teachers, and what is our role? What stance should we take when everything about our careers has been politicized, and even weaponized, since COVID-19 has stopped the world from turning? WPCTE chose White Fragility as the September Book Club selection.

Black Students Don’t See Themselves Reflected in Schools

Pennsylvania’s teachers are overwhelmingly white, and this impacts the way that Black students and staff experience education. Only 4% of teachers in Pennsylvania are Black, which ranks the state 47th in the disproportionality rate between Black students and white teachers in the United States of America according to Research for Action in their April 2018 policy brief. If teachers in Pennsylvania adopt the fear that DiAngelo refers to when discussing race, whether it be fear for their jobs or fear of being labeled as racist, all students lose--but Black students lose the most. Worse, if white teachers are subconsciously racist by expecting less from their Black students, treating them as different from the “norm”, or asking them to represent all Black people in their viewpoints in class discussions, they are alienating and discriminating against them. DiAngelo emphasizes that racism, contrary to popular belief, does not have to be intentional. It is not enough for teachers to not be racist. Instead, we must actively be antiracist.

Doing Antiracist Work is Uncomfortable

Teaching is a profession that prides itself in caring for children and wanting them to be the best possible versions of themselves. This requires not only professional development in the form of learning more about your subjects and classroom management, but should also include adjusting the perceptions we have about our students. Are we surprised that one of the few Black students we have turned in an assignment? If we are, why is that? What have we been conditioned to believe about Black people and how successful they are in school? In life? By examining these beliefs head on instead of pretending to not know that they exist, we allow Black students to receive the same quality education that their white peers receive.

Additionally, white students have similar misconceptions and sometimes voice blatantly racist remarks. Time should be spent to explain to students why the terms they are using are inappropriate and cause harm, and why they should not feel slighted by programs like Affirmative Action. White people have many challenges in life. One of those challenges, however, has not been the color of their skin. That is the point that DiAngelo is trying to make, and that we should illustrate for all of our students. Systemic racism exists, and pretending that it does not makes us complicit in its inequity and the benefits that we receive from it.

“Reverse Racism” is a Dangerous Myth

Oftentimes white students in my classes are heated about the topic of racism because they believe that they or their families have been the victims of racism. They mention instances of not getting accepted into colleges that their fellow Black students are going to, being denied a job that ultimately went to a person of color, or experiencing discrimination at the hands of Black people from a social view. This is dangerous thinking, as DiAngelo explains only whites can be racist. This is due to the source of power and who can be denied a voice or a position of power by those people. Because Black people do not fill the majority of these positions of power, you cannot be a victim of racism at the hands of a Black person who cannot fundamentally change your life. Explaining this to students will be uncomfortable at best. But to continue to allow students to believe that the reason that they have not achieved their goals is because a Black person took their spot, is insulting and entirely erroneous. It also never allows for a situation where a Black student would outperform a white student, and that perpetuates white supremacy. Interceding on the behalf of Black people, even if you do not have Black students, is important to the development of your white students’ viewpoints as well.

Conclusion

As teachers, we have a responsibility to all of our students to prepare them for a life in America, one of the most diverse countries in the world. To not refute racism in all forms, to not blatantly teach antiracist ideas, is to condone them. It is a harmful methodology to “not see color” because you are ignoring a fundamental part of a person’s experience. Do you also not see low socioeconomic status? Gender?  Hair color? It would be absurd to ignore these things with our students, so we must see color. We must teach our students to reject the noxious fumes of racism that is in the very air that we breathe in America. Remember to put your oxygen mask on first.

Author Bio: 

Janel Prinkey teaches 7th and 8th grade Reading for a rural school district in Western Pennsylvania. She is an avid reader and writer and enjoys spending time with her Yorkiepoo, Arya.