Talking about race with my colleagues could open up a can of worms; little good is likely to come from it.
Background
Talking about what appear to be racial issues with respect to student interactions, student-teacher interactions or interactions among members of the school staff is uncommon. Race is a "hot button" issue in our country, and it may feel that discussing potential misunderstandings or conflicts would make things worse. Moreover, many worry about being seen as insensitive or preoccupied with race. No doubt some issues that could be race-related are not actually related to race. But, this cannot be known without bringing up the issue. The country has made great progress in reducing racial prejudice and discrimination, but negative stereotypes, concerns about fairness, and the absence of comfort in interracial relationships persist. For racial issues to be openly dealt with, school leaders must make clear that it is important to be candid and to trust one another while ensuring that action is taken when problems are identified.
Questions to Consider
- Why is it important to openly discuss issues that are seen as having racial dimensions?
- What do educators need to do to foster productive examination of issues that are seen by some—or all—as being influenced by the race or ethnicity? What are some examples of effective strategies for initiating and facilitating conversations about race?
To explore these and other questions, take a closer look at the resources below. At any time, add your comments to the Discussion by starting a new discussion or viewing an ongoing discussion.
- Jacqueline Jordan Irvine discusses the importance of creating a trusting atmosphere for discussing race and suggests that teachers go into their students' communities to learn about their cultures:
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- Mica Pollock asserts that teachers can and should learn to talk about their own feelings about race:
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- Glenn Singleton and Cyndie Hays identify strategies for beginning and sustaining "courageous conversations" about race in schools.
- In "Talking Across Boundaries", Camille Jackson shares the stories of student activists who have formed dialogue groups on their campuses.
Facilitating Race-Related Discussions Among Faculty
- Mica Pollock suggests that teachers and administrators be clear and explicit about the need to discuss race:
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- James Scheurich explains that discussing race depends on honesty and the will to engage in conversations:
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- Robert Slavin observes that talking openly and respectfully about racial issues in schools is essential but not everything that seems related to race may be:
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- Teaching Tolerance asks educators about the social climate of their classrooms.
Learning How Students Feel About Racial Issues and Facilitating Intergroup Discussion
- Check out Confronting the –isms, in which students learn to explore their private views about people who they perceive as different from themselves.
