Political activist Angela Davis once said, “In a racist society, it is not enough to be non-racist, we must be anti-racist”. We all want a better future for our children. However, the systemic racism in education is undeniable and continues to reinforce the legacy of White supremacy. To counteract this, we’ll need anti-racist education and The Village Method has the necessary resources.
As a nation, we must acknowledge the influence of White privilege and talk about oppression openly. With time, the students and anti-racist educators will turn the classroom into a support system that is engaging and understanding. A shared understanding is what’s missing in today’s schools and what culturally empowering after-school programs are trying to create.
Let us take a look at why anti-racist education is becoming a priority for many educators and how we can teach students to address racism swiftly and committedly.
Anti-Racist Education Is a Choice
Those who identify as anti-racist educators made a very clear choice to use critical consciousness as a way to empower students and be by their side as they face racial inequities. Anti-racist work is a conscious, daily practice. Internalized racism without self-reflection is what has cemented systemic racism in education.
Anti-racist educators are willing to go past the curriculum and use their voices for the benefit of many. White students should also be encouraged to share their habitual prejudice and be taught why they should choose anti-racism. By being aware of one’s biases and toxic patterns, we might have a chance to eliminate White privilege from our schools.
Other educators fail to recognize the importance of anti-racist education and have no interest in bringing equity to the classroom. The idea of teaching Critical Race Theory in schools seems far-fetched to most of them.
For such teachers, anti-racist ideas that bring justice to those that are oppressed are synonymous with forbidden knowledge. For others, it’s an irrelevant conversation.
It’s wrong to assume that the implementation of Critical Race Theory in schools could potentially disrupt the curriculum. This type of mentality has to stop being perpetuated. It is the direct cause of systemic racism in education and the reason we are fighting for a more equitable environment for our young scholars in the first place.
Anti-Racist Education Is Empowering
Any anti-racist educator knows that empowering young scholars is the way to go. Social Emotional Learning is a framework that is deeply concerned with racial inequity in the classroom. Did you know that Black boys are disciplined at school much more than their White peers?
Mental health is not a subject that should be treated lightly. Instead, Social Emotional Learning takes the emotional well-being of our young ones very seriously by providing them with tools and soft skills to match.
The suicide rates of Black youth are alarming and distressing, to say the very least. These children were not empowered. They were kept in the dark. Their voices were ignored. Only a heartless and unapologetically racist society could remain indifferent to such heartbreaking statistics. It’s time to empower our youth and guide them to see the truth.
Anti-Racist Education Requires Critical Race Theory In Schools
“Black people are the magical faces at the bottom of society’s well.” Derrick Bell couldn’t have said it better. The leaders of our countries are working tirelessly to sabotage our people’s efforts. Several states are banning Critical Race Theory and therefore keeping our children from studying this essential, historical framework.
Initially promoted by committed civil-rights scholars and lawyers, it became a framework that promoted tolerance and called out oppression during a time when most were afraid of speaking out. It’s time for our nation’s leaders to make way for Critical Race Theory in schools.
Systemic racism is prevalent and is not going anywhere. Anti-racist educators are already being silenced and threatened to not tell the truth. For this reason, families are turning their attention to culturally affirming after-school programs that can provide their children with the appropriate knowledge. The anti-racist work of those teachers is still commendable and speaks of the urgent need for a cultural shift.
Our young scholars deserve much more than what they are currently being offered. A sugar-coated curriculum is not going to help anyone in the long run. Anti-racist education is a national priority that cannot be procrastinated any longer.
Anti-Racism Is a Moral Duty. Are We Ready for a Shift?
Together, we can change the course of history and reclaim the power that was once stolen from us. Teachers should make it their mission to use anti-racism resources such as Social Emotional Learning or Critical Race Theory in order to enrich our children’s knowledge of what it means to be free from bias and against violence of any kind.
The Village Method is a unique kind of after-school program. We are a village of dedicated people. Our aim is to enable the kids and parents to connect to their African culture and do so in an environment that is free of racism, White privilege, biases, discrimination, and fear. However, we need your help.
It takes a village to raise a child, according to the African proverb. Let us join hands and create several villages of happy, healthy, and academically successful children. Get involved today!