Breaking The Racism Barrier

Ty Wilkin

                                                    Photo of a "Black Lives Matter" protest

The reason racism is a problem in today’s society is that parents are not portraying the correct image in terms of antiracism, therefore shaping their thoughts on race and ethnicity.

 

Teaching anti-racism not only serves to eliminate discrimination but also creates empathy, understanding, and critical thinking skills, leading to the elimination of prejudice within individuals and society as a whole.

 

Racism is still a big issue in our world today, and one reason why it keeps happening is because some parents aren’t teaching their kids about being anti-racist. Parents have a huge influence on what their kids think about race and ethnicity.

 

When parents don’t talk about racism and explain why it is wrong, it may lead to a misunderstanding of why it is bad. Most parents, regardless of color, teach ideals like kindness and to help people when in need. Some of the same messages are not being portrayed by forgetting about teaching antiracism to their kids.

 

According to the Standford News, after the tragic passing of George Floyd, black parents were spurred to speak more with their children, while white parents were most likely unchanged

                                                                        Photo from a George Floyd protest

When parents do not teach their kids about anti-racism, especially a massive tragedy like the George Floyd incident, causes racism to continue from generation to generation if parents don’t talk about or show that it’s wrong to judge people based on the ethnicity of a person, then there will never be any change. 

 

Steven O. Roberts, an assistant professor of psychology at the School of Humanities and Sciences, states, “If parents do not talk with their children about racism, they will be ineffective in teaching their children how to combat racism.”

 

By the age of three, children are able to distinguish faces by color and are fully capable of understanding racial categories.

 

Gravitating towards people that look like you is not racist, rather it is in-group bias. In-group bias is the tendency for people to give preferential treatment to others who belong to the same group they do.

 

This idea means that we give privileges to people in their own group while denying outsiders; for example, kids do not include someone on the playground at recess because that kid does not look the same.

How Parents Should Teach Racism

Sometimes parents talking about racism to their children isn’t enough for them to understand the meaning and hurtfulness of prejudice.

 

As Infants, children notice differences in physical features like skin color. It is very important to expose them to diverse groups of people, and find them daycares, activity classes, playdates, and give them books that help introduce them to a wide range of people.

 

As a Preschooler, are going to begin reading books, so make sure they are reading books about inclusion, not exclusion.

 

Middle and High schoolers may ask questions about certain diversity and equality issues they see on social media or TV. The correct way to counter these questions is by explaining the Golden Rule: “Treat others how you want to be treated.”

 

Teaching antiracism is an active part of parenting. Parents' main goals are to constantly support their children and observe and correct how they behave and interact so that their proper manners carry into conversations when they are away from home.

Why is Teaching Antiracism Important

Some people think that teaching antiracism is a boring and unimportant topic. 

This couldn't be more wrong. Racism is an ongoing issue in today's society, and they feel that way because their parents, community, and schools failed to explain the magnitude to which people of color are facing prejudice. Southern regions often have a higher Republican affiliation and a historical connection to the Civil Rights movement. 

 

Despite significant strides to eliminate segregation and discrimination, remnants of racism still linger in Southern communities.

 

For example, Southerners tend to be more Republican and still share views of racism due to the history of the Civil Rights movement to abolish segregation and discrimination.

 

The persistent beliefs across generations cause young people to inherit racist beliefs, presenting significant hurdles to the complete elimination of prejudice.

 

Attempting to eliminate racism is nearly impossible due to people’s “set-in-stone” beliefs, but teaching antiracism is crucial in limiting racism in future generations.

According to Notre Dame Learning, teaching antiracism positions both instructors and students as agents of change toward a more just society.

 

Teachers all over the US are trying to find ways to teach this touchy subject. Franchesca Mejia, a high school teacher in Austin, Texas, states, “We’re not going to become an anti-racist society unless we have uncomfortable conversations… We have to talk about what is going on in the world, and we need to stop saying, we do not want to make you uncomfortable. No. I’m going to make you uncomfortable.”

 

Franchesca strongly opposes teaching to make kids uncomfortable about the topic because she believes that it is one of the only ways to prompt self-reflection and change.

 

Although eliminating racism seems like an uphill battle, making a conscious effort toward change is crucial; antiracist teachings play a vital role in shaping the attitudes and beliefs of future generations, making it no joking matter. Teaching empathy, understanding, and critical skills will make society less racist and feel like a tight-knit community.