As the recent protests around police brutality have
revealed, ignoring racism throughout our society comes with a steep price. One
of the places injustice has to be addressed is the education system. Many
students of color and students from low-income backgrounds are marginalized
unjustly by educator biases, according to Social, Emotional, and AcademicDevelopment Through an Equity Lens, a report issued by The
Education Trust, a national nonprofit that advocates for equality in education.
Rather than the current focus on “fixing” students'
social-emotional skills, the system needs to address the societal context that
launches many such students into the school-to-prison pipeline. From changing
school policies to addressing the inherent prejudice of teachers and
principals, the report lays out steps to foster belonging for all students.
No one denies that social-emotional learning is a significant
part of education and needs support from schools. However, the report states,
“social-emotional learning efforts that exclusively focus on changing student
behavior may do more harm than good by placing the burden on students of color
to respond positively to systemic injustices.”
True support places students' strengths above their
perceived deficits. Marginalized students often display resilience and
self-awareness; have highly developed skills at code-switching or adapting to
different social contexts; and maintain strong, sometimes multi-lingual,
community connections. A student who falls behind academically because of the
need to care for a relative, for example, should be praised for shouldering
family responsibilities. “With this positive mindset,” the report observes,
“school leaders can then work with students and their families to identify the
unique combination of supports needed for students to exhibit that strength
both at home and in school.”
Educators have been shown to excuse errant behavior in white
students while disciplining students of color for the same behavior. The
implicit bias reflected by these actions can addressed by putting restorative
justice policies in place and cultivating a positive school environment that considers
all cultures, not just the dominant white culture.
Parents should demand that school boards take these issues
into account when considering policies and hiring superintendents.
Well-informed parents of all ethnic groups, including the white majority, can
educate the public at school board meetings and vote for board member
candidates who express support for racial equity measures.