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This is long, but I need to share.
White educators: When someone tells you that anti-racist work cannot wait, stop trying to validate or give reasons as to why you have not prioritized something as simple as acknowledging #BHM
on Feb 1st.
White educators: When someone tells you that anti-racist work cannot wait, stop trying to validate or give reasons as to why you have not prioritized something as simple as acknowledging #BHM
on Feb 1st.
A white woman responded to me in a FB mom group asking me to show some grace, kindness, to be collaborative & not assume that a person who delayed celebrating #BHM is “an ass for being indifferent to equity work”.
Many reasons were provided as to why the work might be delayed.
is “an ass for being indifferent to equity work”. Many reasons were provided as to why the work might be delayed.
Being a new LTO, a new teacher, that we are in a pandemic, that the work was planned for later, that they need help, etc. were a few of the reasons why #BHM was not prioritized.
White people & racialized people who benefit the system- you no longer get a pass or more time.
was not prioritized.White people & racialized people who benefit the system- you no longer get a pass or more time.
My words are hard to hear, but do not mean a lack of collaboration or the belief that a person is “an ass” or for not prioritizing #BHM & anti-racist work sooner.
& anti-racist work sooner.
Black families face oppression & racism every single day.
And every single day, White folks are asking Black students & their families to wait for people to “get comfortable”, “learn more”, “get help”, “to be helped”...
#BHM
And every single day, White folks are asking Black students & their families to wait for people to “get comfortable”, “learn more”, “get help”, “to be helped”...
#BHM
My call out is to get people to examine their positionality.
Black students are marginalized, face success & achievement barriers, do not see themselves in the curriculum, & walk into school buildings where 80% of education workers are White.
#BHM
Black students are marginalized, face success & achievement barriers, do not see themselves in the curriculum, & walk into school buildings where 80% of education workers are White.
#BHM
If you didn’t start #BHM work on Feb 1st or have plans to start later this month - you need to ask yourself why you are not making it a priority.
work on Feb 1st or have plans to start later this month - you need to ask yourself why you are not making it a priority.
Some might tell me I’m not a teacher, I’m not in a classroom, I’m just an admin assistant who supports the system, & because of this, I don’t understand how challenging anti-racist work is or how difficult it is to plan for #BHM .
.
Does it make me more credible & would you take my commentary on anti-racism & #BHM more seriously if I shared that I have a Sociology degree & studied anti-oppression & racism at U of T 22+ years ago?
Would you listen more if I was “nice”?
more seriously if I shared that I have a Sociology degree & studied anti-oppression & racism at U of T 22+ years ago?Would you listen more if I was “nice”?
Being an anti-racist & advocating human rights, celebrating #BHM on time, does not require a degree in teaching or sociology, or any of the things we use to measure our academic worth.
My words are hard & honest - they are not palatable because racism is not palatable.
on time, does not require a degree in teaching or sociology, or any of the things we use to measure our academic worth.My words are hard & honest - they are not palatable because racism is not palatable.
In order to grow & develop, it is our own responsibility to examine how, where, & why we contribute to upholding white supremacy structures & the status quo.
It is our own responsibility to decide how we move forward in & outside of our school buildings.
It is our own responsibility to decide how we move forward in & outside of our school buildings.
