An Example of Systemic Racism
Brian Stauffer (Washington Post)
I have a favor to ask all of those involved in our educational system working and serving as teachers, counselors, social workers, community workers, and parents. If you have a love for your work and a passion for nurturing the children you are responsible for - hear me please.
Go the extra mile, don’t rest on your school’s laurels and assume you have done and are doing all that you can to ensure every child feels safe and respected by you as well as his/her peers.
I’ve heard some discount the term ‘systemic racism.’ Not understanding it and/or denying that it’s an actual thing. Let me give you an example to help expand your reality and perspective:
In his practice, an educator I know uses restorative circles to address how trauma impacts aspects of his students’ lives. Working in a majority Anglo school district, he asked his co-facilitators when they were going to do a circle focusing on the trauma of racism. Initially, the response was ‘that wasn't an issue they had to worry about.’
He then shared this story: an African American middle school student he was working with was known to have ADHD. When triggered he would often run out of his classroom. In addition, he was grieving the death of his mother who had been addicted to drugs. Rather punishing or suspending him when he would run; my friend would find, sit, listen and share space with him.
During one particular instance, when the boy ran away, initially my friend couldn’t find him. He searched all over the school, only to find that the boy was trying to find him. When they were able to sit together outdoors, the boy didn’t want to go back into the classroom; but he was willing to do his school work. My friend went to his classroom and found out from the teacher that the assignment was to give a book report. However, the students also had to use their laptops to create an avatar who would actually give the book report. My friend saw the boy’s avatar and said, “Hey, that doesn’t look like you. You’ve given yourself a soccer ball for a head. Don’t you want to create a figure that looks like you?” The boy simply nodded. My friend then scrolled through the figures that the online program provided. Literally, out of 230 facial features - not one was a person of color. My friend was dumbstruck. He then did a search and was able to find two features for African American males: President Obama and the second being either a rapper or a robber (I don’t remember which). My friend (a white man) cried, put his arm around the boy and told him if that had been him, he would have run out of the classroom too. He told the boy that he had every right to be SEEN.
When he followed up with the teacher, of course she was embarrassed and apologetic. She didn’t know. In sharing his story with his co-facilitators, my friend stated we assume we’re doing all that we can and what we’re doing is enough. But my friend, human being that he is, recognized this for what it was - one of the many examples of systemic racism. If you’re not familiar with it - here it is. This educational software program is an accepted system. Its purpose appears innocuous enough, to create visual representations of people with a variety of clothes, hair color and job positions. BUT, ALL people are NOT REPRESENTED. ALL people are NOT RECOGNIZED!
Sometimes when we have the comfort of being represented and recognized, we are blind to the reality of those who aren’t. That’s an unfortunate aspect of ‘privilege.’ Privilege - not to be confused with ‘paying your dues,’ and then enjoying the fruits of your labors. Privilege, as in assuming that everyone is treated the same way across the board - and being dismissive of those who point out inequities.
All I’m asking is - like my friend,that the 'bubbles' we live in be expanded to realize not only is the state of things in America’s institutions unbalanced; but, research the reason(s) behind the imbalance and the practices that have historically been put in place to continue that imbalance. Be sensitive to, aware and ready to be the CHANGE. AND, dare I say it: TEACH THE TRUTH!
