Commentary: We Have to Talk About Race
This episode was originally planned to be part of the ongoing series “Thinking about Next School Year” with a discussion about flexible and individualized assessment. This episode will appear later in the summer, the Thoughtful Teacher Podcast will instead be presenting a several episode series focused on racial disparity and racial healing. Over the next several weeks, host Scott Lee will present commentary and review reading selections to help educators gain a better understanding and take action to eliminate structural racism, particularly in schools.
Link
Essay: “Ahmaud Arbery Holds Us Accountable” in The Bitter Southerner
Transcript
Greetings friends and colleagues, this is the Thoughtful Teacher Podcast: I am Scott Lee. I hope you are safe and well. As we enter the summer of 2020 with a great deal of uncertainty about what school will look like this coming fall, I had originally planned to have several episodes discussing how to make learning and assessment as flexible as possible-drawing on my work as a teacher and administrator in alternative schools. But those episodes will have to wait. We have to talk about the problem of racism in America. It can’t wait. We can’t pretend racism doesn’t affect our profession. “I can’t breathe” is not only the cry for help of a man as he is being killed. it is a scream for action that is has been pushing the air out of our collective lungs for four hundred years. Not just Americans of African descent, or Americans of Latinx descent or Americans of First Nations. For those of us who are White this is our problem too. For those of us who educate youth this is our problem. And as professionals we cannot just decide that this what someone else should do. It is not just for social studies teachers, or an issue that is so complex that we can wait until the students are older. This is a set of structural problems and it affects us regardless of grade level or content because all of our students suffer now over a lack of racial action and racial healing in the past.
When I was a school principal, near the end of each school year I would share a “summer reading” list with the faculty that was usually themed around a professional development topic we were working on. The reading was not required, but many of the teachers found the selections useful. As it happens, I have been working on a couple of projects involving education equity and racial healing for some time, so in the same vein several episodes this summer I would like to share some reading suggestions focused on enhancing understanding of racism and taking action, particularly in the United States. Today, I suggest an essay published in the online magazine, The Bitter Southerner. The essay is titled “Ahmaud Arbery Holds Us Accountable”. Writer Jim Barger, Jr intertwines interviews he did with people who knew Ahmaud Arbery amidst the parallel story of how racism in America continues to be the defining social problem within our society. Mr. Barger literally starts with the history of Ahmaud Abery’s ancestors in slavery and freedom and then shares how this young man helped make the lives of others around him better. Barger also discusses the contextual considerations. Why do some people not use the word murder when a White man kills a Black man? Why did the justice system fail here and in other places? Why it is so important that we all state “I run with Maud”. Mr. Barger also suggests books can help us, as he says “Dayclean”. I also should note that this piece was published before George Floyd was murdered. You can find this essay at bittersoutherner dot com, there is also a link on our website.
This is the Thoughtful Teacher Podcast, I am Scott Lee. Once again friends and colleagues stay safe and stay well. Let’s not forget that educators cannot sit on the sideline.
This has been episode number 13. 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
