Commentary: Structural Racism Persists
Some recent comments by a candidate running for my local school board reminds me of how much work is needed to deal with structural racism in our schools.
Here is a link to the photograph of Tommie Smith and John Carlos that is referenced in the podcast
Transcript
Greetings friends and colleagues, this is the Thoughtful Teacher Podcast: I am Scott Lee. I hope you are safe and well. As we continue, along with the rest of the world, to discuss problems with race I would like to share some local news. In my home county we have upcoming elections for our local school board. In one of the races there has been an event that reminds me that there remains a lack of understanding about race, institutionalized racism and symbolism and how these affect schools. A current member of our school board reposted an invitation to a protest on social media. The particular protest was led by local high school students and was planned as a [quote] “silent and nonviolent…protest against police brutality”. It was accompanied by a picture of an animated raised fist. One of the current candidates publicly rebuked the board member for reposting this image stating [I quote] “is this the strident attitude we want our students to adopt?”. When this candidate was criticized by local educators for complaining about students peacefully exercising the rights that they possess, this candidate defended himself stating [I quote] “I thought that screamed violence. I don’t want a clenched fist. I rejected that symbol of violence. I viewed it as a symbol of hate”. Friends and colleagues, based on the age of this candidate I find it impossible to believe that he has never seen the photograph of 1968 US Olympic athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos peacefully raising their fists during their Olympic medal ceremony. That this group of students decided to use a symbol associated with solidarity towards others and that historically has been used by opponents of Nazism seems quite apropos and hardly a symbol of hate.
This reminds me that as educators we must acknowledge the ways that schools have been used to promote institutionalized racism. While most of us in the education profession have at the very least worked to fight bigotry and many of us actively pursue antiracist action, we also need to be publicly mindful of how schools have been involved in actively supporting systematic racism. Schools in the US have not simply been pawns in racist schemes cooked up in state capitols by racist legislators and their lobbyists. Throughout most of the history of compulsory public schooling our very institutions intentionally participated in segregation and sometimes even condoned violence. There are many examples, such as Houston in the 1920’s where integrated schools were closed by the school board and new segregated schools were built. The school board intentionally built new schools with quality facilities for both black and white students to encourage each to attend newer racially segregated schools. Houston was no means alone in this. Municipalities throughout the country have at times created or disbanded school districts specifically to segregate students. In the 1960’s and 1970’s when schools were ordered to desegregate, in many cases black schools were closed and students were sent to previously all-white schools, but often the black educators did not follow their students. The example of North Carolina was not an anomaly among states in that only three black school principals in the entire state kept their jobs as the state followed court ordered desegregation.
I could go on, but the litany of examples is not the real issue. They all point to the fact that as educators we must not be silent. We are the professionals of schooling, while often school board members have little professional knowledge. Educators can insist that our board members (they are supposed to be public servants after all) state clearly that they will learn about and become understanding of racial injustice that schools and school systems have perpetuated. Further, we can insist that they intentionally take steps to actively support educators in changing the practices that have interfered with the social emotional and academic achievement of children of color, children of poverty and children with disabilities. We can further demonstrate to them that doing these things does not take anything away from other students.
So, what about my local school board race? The public has not decided, but my local election is just one example of the much larger problem. Schools are intentional actors in our culture and civic life, not passive mirrors. In my local case, a group of students says, “we wish to peacefully and actively advocate for change and for positive, necessary change”. Namely we are asking for redress of structural inequities, and there is consensus that these inequities exist. The response to these students should not be chastisement and vitriol from a school board candidate simply to pander to some other group. When students are faced with a rigorous problem a good teacher says, “I am beside you to work through this” but does not stand in the student’s way. Similarly, the response of the public’s trustee should be, “I support you for bringing this problem to the public’s attention, I abide with you, I will work with you to at least mitigate and hopefully solve this problem”. Let us ask this, and ask it clearly, of all who seek to lead our schools and school systems.
This is the Thoughtful Teacher Podcast, I am Scott Lee. Once again friends and colleagues stay safe and stay well. Let’s not sit on the sidelines.
This has been episode number 14. The Thoughtful Teacher Podcast is hosted and produced by R. Scott Lee who retains copyright and is responsible for content. Transcript and notes are available at our website thoughtfulteacherpodcast dot com. Underwriting and sponsorship opportunities or other inquiries may also be made on our website thoughtfulteacherpodcast dot com. Please follow The Thoughtful Teacher Podcast on Twitter @drrscottlee
