Educating Children About Racism Matters

Educating Children About Racism Matters

Racism is very prevalent in today's society but this isn't the first time America is experiencing it or hearing of it. Racism has caused many inequalities and has created stereotypes of specific races and has caused issues that have cost people’s lives. For example, America's segregation has led to many problems, like the killing of George Floyd; the problem is the fact that he was African American which race should not matter. The previously stated real-life event caused people to promote Black Lives Matter more than ever; constant rallies and protests Americans fighting against each other over what racial group matters more. Stereotypes in racism have caused many Americans to assume some things as racist compared to what other Americans believe is racist or what is actually racist, this caused us to lose the true definition of racism. What is the true definition of racism then? Dictionary definition “a belief that race is a fundamental determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.” The group of racist people feel they are superior over the other races. America can change racist beliefs by educating young children on racism and can help develop the world's way of seeing racism.

Changing people's beliefs of whether children should be educated in racism is a touchy subject, but that is the problem. The world gets uncomfortable when racism comes up because they aren't aware of what is acceptable and what isn’t. As stated in Why Conversations About Racism Belong in The Classroom “Kids love to hear [that] bad things happen and people change it,” she said. “People can make injustice and justice. There are heroes — real heroes — in the world. ... And it’s that framework that makes it really useful to children.” Young children especially their childhood is summed up in superheroes and villains whether they know it or not. In cartoons, their friends and homelife. So the conversation is when kids hear that someone did something good they naturally praise that person. For example in my life my brother said something his 4 year old daughter didn't like. So she came to me to have me fix it. I was the hero and my brother was the villain. Children love what's good so teaching the good people have done to change racist beliefs in racism makes them happy, the aforementioned also encourages them to act that way to do good. It is also important that children learn both sides of the rainbow meaning the good and the bad in people. Also stated in Why Conversations About Racism Belong in The Classroom `` 6-month-olds can show a preference for people of the same ethnicity. The famed “doll test” of the 1940s asked children 3 to 7 years old to assign traits to white and black dolls. The results found most children preferred the white doll and labeled it positively, while the black doll was assigned negative words.” As these are old experiments they show the education children received about racism in the 1940’s. Yes children are aware of more now but no racism hasn't changed.

The education game goes beyond children; some adults even have to educate their friends about racism because they were never taught anything when they were younger. As stated in I’m your black friend, but I won’t educate you about racism. That’s on you. “What transpired was an example of how conversations about race can veer off in entirely unexpected and painful directions.” The African American woman in the text describes her first time going to the movies in 1965 and her white counterparts being in awe. She mentions she would not even be allowed in the movies anytime before that. There were laws that kept America segregated separating black people from white people. The question is where did these laws put all of the other races? The quote describes how uncomfortable the white people were when she had said that. This explains where people are never educated about racism. White America never realized how separated they were during these times. Her white counterparts didn't realize how hard things were and how separated black lives were from white lives.

There are also the opposing groups of people who don't want their children to be educated on racism. As stated in Yes, America Is Racist. No, You Shouldn’t Teach My Kids if You Disagree. “We aren’t interested in contributing to another generation of people of color who are treated as if their lives, their heritage, and their standing in the world is a subplot to the white norm… As I listen to the growing opposition against anti-racism efforts in schools and the convenient obsession with spotlighting its wackiest failings in an attempt to delegitimize those efforts, I hear echoes of the same white resistance that followed every racial justice movement in the past.” Yes the racism education in schools and in public environments has changed but people will always counter that. So educating a child on what is racist is someone else's opinion not the rest of the worlds. Not everyone is comfortable with a young child being aware of so much. I didn't learn about racism until sixth grade, nearly 12 years old so does changing education now matter? Yes education is important but education of just ancestry and history doesn't change racism. So people just see them as a counterpart to what is the “white” norm which is all of today's society.

Children can notice race as infants, but parents don't want to have the discussion with their kids at a young age. Children create their own ideas and opinions on racism when not guided by their parents. The adults in a child's life plant the seed of racism whether they have a positive or negative outlook. As stated in Confronting Racism at an Early Age “Kids get it, even as little as the first grade. They are more likely to understand than most adults, especially white adults, where the socialization has been that if you mention race, it might get you in trouble.” Having the conversation at a young age is hard to explain to a child. Even though children notice race this early on parents assume they do not. As a 6 year old child, kids at my school pointed out my race classified me differently because I was darker than my white counterpart. Mentioned in the text titled ``Children Notice Race Several Years Before Adults Want to Talk About It “Many white parents often use well-meaning but ineffective strategies that ignore the realities of racism in the United States, said study co-author Leigh Wilton, PhD, an assistant professor of psychology at Skidmore College. Some harmful approaches include a colorblind strategy (e.g., telling children “Skin color doesn’t matter,” or “We’re all the same on the inside”) or refusing to discuss it (e.g., “It’s not polite to talk about that”). With these keywords children are enforced with the idea racism doesn't exist which isn't true. This can be indicated as the same as sharing fake news. Putting racism into lighter terms is unfair to the minority groups. Also informing a child with keywords pointing in the ideas that racism isn't real they will grow up with an improper education and they may do or say something that is inherently racist.

The new generation of people are promoting more anti racist lives and lifestyles but many are still quiet about it. As stated in 3 myths in racism that keeps the US from progress “When we ask white millennials their racial attitudes and policy preferences, that they're sometimes, just as in other times, even more racially conservative than boomers.” In recent advertising and protest yes white millennials want more anti racist lives but they aren't willing to have the conversation. So what is this saying about their future kids, are they going to be able to discuss racism? As stated in White kids, racism and the way privileged parenting props up an unjust system “We sent our son to a school that taught and encouraged anti-racism. But teaching people to be anti-racist doesn't necessarily address the structure of racism itself. In fact, racist structures often determine who does and does not have access to these kinds of educational opportunities.” A white parent sending their child to a school that promotes anti racist yes is right but does the school have diversity is the unanswered question. Incorrect parenting is hoping the school educates the young child on racism is wrong because what if the school has little to no diversity. Diversity is key in order to properly discuss racism; without diversity students can't put what they have learned and real life situations regularly. By parents not properly educating their child about racism and millennials being more consertative about race than boomers, people won't be interested in suddenly educating their child.

Education on racism obviously varies per state and the location in that state. A comparison that can be made is the different education children receive in public school compared to private and vice versa. As stated in New York’s Private Schools Tackle White Privilege. It Has Not Been Easy “Black alumni have shared tales of isolation, insensitivity and racism during school days.” “Private school administrators portray uprooting racial bias as morally urgent and demanding of reiteration. Some steps are practical: They have added Black, Latino and Asian authors, and expanded course offerings to better encompass America and the world in its complications.” Private schools are discussing racial indifference not really racism, but they are offering updated curriculum instead of teaching just American history. Allowing different history classes isn't helping educate racism, it is just informing about opposing races' historical background. Public schools aren't offering a better education when it comes to racism. Mentioned in ``We Need to Teach the Truth About Systemic Racism, Say Educators “New Hampshire lawmakers are pushing legislation to prevent educators from teaching about systemic racism and sexism in public schools and state-funded programs. Instead, they’re advocating for outdated and inaccurate lessons, redlining the realities of history to justify the harms of the present.” Public schools are getting shut down by the state trying to teach racism. How can we change racism if it can't even be taught in a school setting? Shutting down what is supposed to make the world a better place and create more equality isn't fair to the minorities. They are now in charge of educating people on race when we can just bring it into history curriculums.

Educating children on racism is very important, especially introducing them at a young age. Trying to change the beliefs of a 14 year old is much harder than trying to change the beliefs of a 6 year old. The brain at 14 years old is more developed to want to make its own choices, rather than a 6 year old who has a more vulnerable mind. So working to include racism in primary school education can change the future generation of people to be less racist. Not everyone wants a child that young to receive that type of education but providing education introduces the acceptance of diversity. As a child going to a public school with more black students I learned more about racism compared to my current high school. Racism used to be discussed almost everyday and now at my current high school I haven't had a conversation but once. I feel that racism is dependent on the diversity level of a school. Living in a world with more diversity can help aid to decrease racism. So yes, educating children about racism at a young age is key to making changes for future generations.

Works Cited

Anderson, Jill, and Emily Boudreau. “Confronting Racism at an Early Age | Harvard Graduate School of Education.” Harvard Graduate School of Education, 28 August 2017, https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/17/08/confronting-racism-early-age. Accessed 4 December 2021.

Berlatsky, Noah. “White kids, racism and the way privileged parenting props up an unjust system.” NBC News, 2 January 2019, https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/white-kids-racism-way-privileged-parenting-props-unjust-system-ncna953951. Accessed 1 December 2021.

Goodman, Bryan. “Children notice race several years before adults want to talk about it.” American Psychological Association, 27 August 2020, https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2020/08/children-notice-race. Accessed 1 December 2021.

Powell, Michael. “New York's Private Schools Tackle White Privilege. It Has Not Been Easy.” The New York Times, 27 August 2021, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/27/us/new-york-private-schools-racism.html. Accessed 3 December 2021.

Stewart, Chris. “Yes, America Is Racist. No, You Shouldn't Teach My Kids if You Disagree.” Education Post, 4 May 2021, https://educationpost.org/yes-america-is-racist-no-you-shouldnt-teach-my-kids-if-you-disagree/. Accessed 23 November 2021.

USC Rossier. “Why Conversations About Racism Belong in the Classroom.” USC Rossier Online, https://rossieronline.usc.edu/youth-and-racism/racism-in-the-classroom. Accessed 23 November 2021.

Wilson, BL. “Black friends don't have to educate white friends about racism.” The Washington Post, 8 June 2020, https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/06/08/black-friends-educate-racism/. Accessed 23 November 2021.

3 myths in racism that keeps the US from progress. Performance by Candis Watts, 2020, https://www.ted.com/talks/candis_watts_smith_3_myths_about_racism_that_keep_the_us_from_progress . Accessed 30 November 2021.