It is uncomfortable to talk about unrecognized biases and racism among faculty colleagues. Many educators do not have constructive skills for such conversations. If we speak up for respectful conversation, racial/gender/class equity, the rights of immigrants or others from a religion different from our own, we may say something unintentionally offensive, incomplete or inexperienced, and we may lose friends and colleagues as a result. It is just easier to say nothing and get along. All that's necessary for the forces of evil to win in the world, however, is for enough good men to do nothing (Edmund Burke). Racism and bias are learned, no one is born racist or biased, and one of our jobs as educators is to secure a non-racist, unbiased education for our students. Our response to racism and prejudice in our schools must be clear, compassionate and immediate. Settling for indifference exacerbates the problem—a matter of unintentional yet real racism, and as Justice John Marshall Harlan wrote in his dissent of Plessy v. Ferguson, 1896, "The destinies of the two races, in this country, are indissolubly linked together[.]" Join us for a frank and insightful look at how to conduct conversations and teacher professional development on racism and bias in schools. This session explores how intended and unintended racism and bias manifest in our schools and how schools can constructively respond to the problem. Stimulus materials and strategies for facilitating similar discussions at local schools are provided.
