lose my cool.
Of course it’s everyone’s job! I know it’s
everyone’s job! But how is “everyone” going to know
it’s their job
and
what that job is without a Depart
ment of Equity and Race Relations leading them?
Public Anger
That scenario took place in a large urban
district
more than
six
years ago, a
fair
amount of
time
to
reflect
and
heal. I no longer blame them nor am I
angry. In fact, the experience has deepened my appre
ciation of the many challenges school leaders face.
Conversations about race and actions that lead
to dismantling institutional racism always breed
considerable fear in the hearts and minds of people
across this nation. Two experiences from my school
district days capture this state.
“Just because someone is identified as a person of color
DOESN’T MEAN THE PERSON UNDERSTANDS THE
INTRICACIES OF RACISM.
Most people of color readily
can name personal experiences of racism, but being
able to identify it institutionally and then effectively
work to dismantle it comes about through education.”
As a
district,
we sent students and teachers to a
renowned national conference on white privilege.
Shortly before,
we distributed a districtwide letter
reminding staff that not everyone celebrates
Thanks
giving and that for some cultures it’s even consid
ered a day of mourning. In no time at all, these two
actions led to a bombardment of news media atten
tion and stacks of hate mail from the local commu
nity and beyond.
I began thinking more deeply about what it must
have been like for Martin Luther King Jr.,
Medgar
Evers,
Angela Davis and countless others who fought
for social change. I could only imagine the fears they
had to face.
While school leaders can openly
talk
about the
achievement gap in terms of race,
my experiences
have taught me that raising a claim of racism is
an enormous risk that easily can put a school dis
trict into a state of frenzy like a hurricane tearing
through a town with little warning.
Almost over
night you find yourself confronted with the fears,
doubts and anger of the white community that has
the power, privilege and resources to make its voices
heard loudest.
Whites become afraid that meeting the needs of
students of color means their children will lose their
advantage in a country that ranks 17th in education
in one international comparison. Immediately, lead-
42
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR DECEMBER 2013
ership abilities come into question. “What about our
children?” “We can’t afford to have standards low
ered!” and similar outcries are voiced during school
board
meetings.
No Child Left Behind is momen
tarily forgotten until school system leaders smooth
things over and the whole notion of “educating all
children” goes back to being just that
—
a notion.
Societal Subconscious
I don’t blame fear alone for this phenomenon that
ultimately led to the dismantling of a
vital
depart
ment in a large metropolitan school district. I
believe the decision also had to do with leadership’s
lack of understanding of institutional racism.
While
some may be surprised that two black women would
dismantle a department put in place to serve the
very children who look like them, it’s important to
recognize that skin color does not automatically
equate to expertise. Just because someone is identi
fied as a person of color doesn’t mean the person
understands the intricacies of racism.
Most people of
color readily can name personal experiences of rac
ism, but being able to identif’ it institutionally and
then effectively work to dismantle it comes about
through education.
Conversely,
whites frequently encounter being
viewed as incapable of having any understanding of
racism due to the color of their skin when, in truth,
many have developed knowledge and expertise.
Contrary to these stereotypes, I have met both
leaders of color who unknowingly perpetuate racism
and white leaders who effectively advocate for social
justice even though they will never personally expe
rience racism.
Whites have an advantage in that they
often are praised for being innovative, courageous
and committed to social justice for “all” children
when addressing race issues. Alternatively, leaders of
color run the risk of being seen as “only” interested
in the education of students of color.
I often quote Jantie Washington, a
faculty
member
of
Social Justice
Training Institute in Baltimore,
Md.,
who said: “Just because I am doesn’t mean I do under
stand and just because I’m not doesn’t mean I don’t:’
Institutional racism is so deeply rooted in our societal
subconscious and such an acceptable and “normal”
part of our everyday culture that it can easily go unde
tected, regardless of skin color.
Uprooting systems of advantage requires we work
toward cultural competence. This means we have
to recognize the bias and stereotypes we each have
unconsciously internalized.
We must understand the
diverse cultures around us.
Unfortunately, aware
ness and knowledge are not enough. To build a bet
ter education system that truly meets the needs of
all children,
we must practice engagement across
cultures in ways that honor rather than demoralize
people of color.
