Privilege Diary #4

I went to the 2014 White Privilege Conference in Madison, Wisconson at the end of March with two of my co-workers. This week, my colleagues gathered to hear about our experiences. This is what I shared.

Privilege Diary #3

This post if for my fellow teachers.

I heard a song lyric today: ...there is no them, only us.

It is a line in U2's new song called Invisible. To me, this sentiment is at the heart of all bias issues.

Can you honestly say that you can see an Asian, Latino and African-American student in your class in the same manner? Do you think you can look at a third grader and see the potential doctor or lawyer within, regardless of their ethnicity, background, or skin color. Then read no further. But if you are being truly honest, you might confess that most people in the US would admit to a bias of seeing that potential doctor or lawyer in an Asian student much more easily than Latino or African-American students. Is this right? Of course, the answer is categorically no.

My compelling thought during my run today was that if we teach in a manner that doesn't facilitate an "us" and "them" mentality, the world would be a better place.

While I recognize that this is not a new thought...it WAS a thought that hit me profoundly today.