Reading Three: Margalynn J. Armstrong & Stephanie M.
Wildman – “Colorblindness is the New Racism”
“Whereas
colorblindness urges us not to notice
race, color insight says, ‘do not be
afraid; notice your race and the race of others around you; racism and
privilege still do affect peoples’ lives; learn more about the racial dynamic’”
(68). So. Here we are. In a graduate-level course, reading literature about and
discussing the issues of privilege and power across many different facets of
education. Color insight: that’s what we’ve been discussing without even realizing
it. We have begun to “[provide] a vocabulary for teaching across racial lines”
by utilizing the “lens with which to examine societal interactions and initiate
conversations” in order to achieve a greater goal: racial equality and justice.
That’s why we’re all here. So how are we doing?
As I read the four steps required
by the process of color insight, I couldn’t help but question: are these steps
in order? I think so. And if so, where are we? I am fairly certain that we (in
our classrooms, in our schools, in our lives, and in this cohort) do our best
to “consider context for any discussion about race.” By noticing the racial
composition of the worlds around us that we are active in, we are better able
to prepare for conversations in and about those worlds. A conversation about
race will be structured very differently in my classroom in Burrillville from
the way conversations about race were structured in my classroom in Pawtucket. So,
step one – check.
Step two: examining systems of
privilege. Yup, I think we’re doing a pretty solid job of that each and every
week, through these blog posts, comments, and especially through our class
discussions. Guys and girls, I think we can be the ones to help stop the rain.
By acknowledging our privileges and power as white, middle-class teachers, I
think we are in a prime position to guide all of our students along this
journey with us, as we perhaps try to influence those who are in a position of
even greater power. To do this effectively, we have to be prepared to have the
real conversations about race, using real words. This includes having
conversations about the real things that are going on in our world, our
country.
An article I read on NPR further reiterates
the importance of THE
CONVERSATION we have with our students about things like the Michael Brown
case***, because these things are real and frightening and important. Erin
Stevenson, a high school teacher from Rhode Island, is quoted in the article, “Ultimately,
I care more that my students are informed, engaged, active citizens of the
world. If they don't care to pay attention or don't feel it affects them, then
I haven't done my job." Exactly! This is the importance of color insight
in our daily lives, and the significant of becoming aware of it now that our country has seen some of the most devastating riots surrounding the issues of race in a very long time. We have to have these conversations with our students so
that they may understand and learn more about the racial dynamic, and participate in the conversations about what is going on in the world around them.
Steps three and four are the steps
I think we have begun to approach this week. Perspectivelessness is a long,
complicated word and I am still struggling to grasp its complete meaning, even
as I read and reread the section explaining it. Because of color insight, we
have begun our conversation about race: now we just have to keep talking, and
talking as loud as we can so that those people in control of the rain are
forced to stop.
***Side note: I also read Rios' "Stealing a Bag of Potato Chips and Other Crimes of Resistance" and was immediately struck by the reiterations of our conversations from the past two weeks. The boys in this article, like many of the young boys we encounter on a daily basis, have not been taught from an early age about the rules and the codes of the culture of power. I have strongly mixed feelings and thoughts regarding the issues going on in Ferguson, but this article did provide some insight as to why Michael Brown may have reacted to his situation the way he did. Hoping our discussion on Wednesday helps me understand some of my reactions and emotions to such a complicated situation.
Tina,
ReplyDeleteIn my optimism, I like to think we are well on our way to checking the boxes, making progress, and engaging in real conversations about race. In the sheltered world of our class, we have definitely addressed these issues so far in a progressive, thoughtful way. I wonder if the conversations would be the same if our group was diverse, or if we had a drop-in group of Tolman students who have lived the other side of our experience. Your link helped me fill in some of the blanks, as I have not read enough about Ferguson, and reminded me that our conversations in class about such topics need to be thought out rather than avoided. Looking forward to our conversation Wednesday.
I have been reading everybody's "Stealing a Bag of Potato Chips..." and it sounds very identical to the one that I was reading "Pulled Over: How Police Stops Define Race and Citizenship." Both stories sound pretty identical by treating other races unfairly. Both stories talk about how "racial profiling" begins to identify the "race of others" while not acting rational. I think white privilege begins when we identify people who are lower status and believe that people have alternative and negative agendas. When certain groups start hearing negative beliefs about their culture or status, they start to wonder if it is true, and then feel the need to prove themselves otherwise.
ReplyDeleteBrian, I also wonder if our conversation would be different if our group was more diverse. I also wonder this about my classroom. The school in which I work is 89% white, with a 100% white faculty. I do not think any of the student came in in September asking questions about the Michael Brown case, as the NPR piece said they might. But, then I think, isn't just as if not more important to bring up this conversation, so we have color insight not color blindness?????
ReplyDeleteYes, I totally agree...and I do think our class discussions would be different if our group was more diverse. Then I also think, and other than the fact that we are all white, middle-class/upper middle-class individuals, we don't know each other well enough to be certain of other factors of privilege that lie underneath. There's an exercise that I have done a couple of times with different leadership groups (Brittany, did we do this in Emerging Leaders or on the weekend trip?!) that really brings to light so many unearned privileges..."take a step," in which statements are read aloud and participants take either a step forward or backward (or don't step) in order to visualize the different levels of unearned privileges that we are all a part of, addressing many different aspects of diversity.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.d.umn.edu/ids/Just%20Us/Diversity%20Awareness%20Activity.pdf
I agree Jenny...I teach in a predominantly white upper middle class community, and not one person came up to me and asked me anything about Michael Brown or any of the events that happened over the summer. Right now, I'm teaching Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, and I'm working on teaching it through a social injustice lens. So far, it has been amazing to be able to bring up events like Ferguson in the classroom and tie them into social injustices that were going on in the 1930's. I think sometimes students' eyes really just need to be opened as to what is going on around them. I think they also need to be made aware of the fact that...yes, things have changed for the better...but we still have A TON of work to do. **As a side note, most of my classes have a couple of students of color in them. I wanted to be sure to not be afraid to "name" some of the injustices we are reading and discussing in clear and unambiguous terms. So, from the getgo, I've said those words...and I think, as a result, my class also feels comfortable saying "racism" and "sexism" and "black" and "white." I do think it is important, as Delpit, Armstrong and Wildman suggest to say the words we might be uncomfortable saying no matter who our audience is. In not saying the words, we are ignoring the words and what they represent.
ReplyDelete