Black teachers: Fighting racism in the age of Trump
Sensitivities and cultural competency offer new ways of seeing for white students
by KEFFRELYN BROWN and LORENA GERMAN
A litany of recent events link supporters of presidential hopeful Donald Trump to racist, sometimes violent, behavior at political rallies.
Is it possible to teach in a way that people will not be violent toward one another? How do we begin to undo racism and future oppression through the classroom experience?
One answer is critical teachers of color — a step beyond mere cultural competency. As teachers of color who have taught in school settings with a student population that is majority of color, we know the power of working with racially and ethnically diverse students in urban areas. It is important students see themselves in their teachers.