The subject of racism almost always opens a ‘can of worms’
in this country. When it comes to racism in education and society, I personally
find that it is difficult to have honest and/or non-confrontational
conversations with people in this country. If you think about it, civil rights
for almost all citizens has only happened recently (within living memory), I
say recently because 50, 60 years is not a long time within a 400 year history.
We are not color blind, not by a long shot, although the
next generation seems to be melding together better. Actually, being color blind
and tolerant of differences is still just ‘passing the buck’; that is not
healing the problem.
An article I read today got me thinking about how we deal
with it in education, or do not deal with it:
“Facing Racism”
“Adding
the element of race to a discussion makes people uncomfortable. It is as
if some illusive, powerful force has entered and takes up all the air. For all
the hope we hold as our national image, we can be a hard place. In fact, we
have a horrible and unhealed history. It becomes difficult to move forward
because we are not expanding our understanding. It is a rare moment....and one
of true opportunity...when someone opens a door to welcome a different
perspective and a dialogue is entered that can hold multiple truths of those
whose life experiences are vastly different. Yet, educators cannot avoid
these face to face encounters...in fact, we must seek them out... if we aspire
to create environments safe for all students and produce a generation of young
adults who will lead well in a multi-cultural, multi racial world”.
“What
must it feel like to be judged by our appearance? Most of us have had an
experience with otherness. We were the farm child at the centralized school,
the girl who wanted to play hockey, the boys' sports, we were the only Jewish
family in a community, or we were the lone black child on a bus or the Asian
child struggling to learn English. Remember when people feared that a Catholic
president would turn the country over to the Pope? There may be some among us
who have always been the majority. We live in a country in which good-looking
people are elevated to hero status, especially in high schools. Taller people
have traditionally risen to higher ranks of leadership than shorter people.
Men have been accepted into top positions more than women. Many have worked to
break those barriers but barriers are strongly embedded in our culture”.
“While
NBC
and other news outlets report on the recent incidents in which persons of color
were held and questioned because of purchases they made at Macy's or Barney's,
our students are watching. Why did suspicion arise over those purchases?
The youth of America are watching as even well known personalities are held for
questioning for simply purchasing an expensive item. They watched while the
television reported how Trayvon Martin was shot and killed. Now, another
Martin in Florida raises race and bullying. Our students are watching
as Richie
Incognito tosses racial insults into the Miami Dolphins rookie hazing
and the team and the sport struggle to determine what is in bounds and where
the lines are drawn”.
Differences
make some people uncomfortable, especially when they cannot be put into a
category that fits their perception of the world (my own diverse background
often puts me on the receiving end of someone’s confusion).
I
do not claim to have the answers, but what I do claim is the right to keep this
conversation going so that the collective “we” can find the right answer. I
claim the right to make people uncomfortable by not fitting in the box they
wish to put me, and I claim the right to make sure my children live in a world
where they are more than just tolerated but part of a seamless patchwork quilt
of society.
The
next generation is watching what we do, so let us do the right things.
Dr
Flavius A B Akerele III
The
ETeam
