With all due respect, 'eradicating racism in schools' as a chat?
I understand the urgency, the sudden waking up, and agonizing over what is to be done but I am frustrated at this framing. 1/
I understand the urgency, the sudden waking up, and agonizing over what is to be done but I am frustrated at this framing. 1/
It's akin to asking science teachers to rally around solving climate change in a one hour chat. "Eradicating" as in wipe out, demolish and remove?
Gosh, folks, my ancestors, my relatives, my friends, my family, colleagues & me we've been at this for centuries. It's still here. 2
Gosh, folks, my ancestors, my relatives, my friends, my family, colleagues & me we've been at this for centuries. It's still here. 2
I'm stuck on this one word because it expresses all the new-found ambition without much background effort or history tackling even some of the things that 'eradicating racism in schools' would entail. 3/
How about "understanding" racism and how it operates in schools? Or "coming to terms with the ways schools perpetuate racism and our roles in that process?" Something along these lines would demonstrate a clarity of purpose and also acknowledge to missing background. 4/
Unfortunately, we all have to begin by acknowledging our own ignorance which is counterintuitive and countercultural for educators especially. We have to be able to admit when we don't know stuff and find folks who know more & know better. 5/
Even planning a series of chats to break things down: racism in #kidlit, racism in discipline policies, racism in teacher recruitment and retention, racism in school funding, racism in math curriculum, racism is science curriculum, and on and on...It's EVERYWHERE. 6/
These are more than mere details. When I see a standing chat with the intention to talk about 'eradicating' anything, I need to know that folks have previously demonstrated the range and depth of research in and engagement with the topic before last week or last year. 7/
I appreciate the intention but miss me with the bandwagon approach to discussing a deep, complex, historically violent and painful topic as if we really would figure out the steps to 'eradicate racism in schools' on a Saturday morning on Twitter. 8/8
