Peers vs. Texts

July 16

I need to clarify, or expand, or explain my last line. I think many teachers in many schools, public and private, make huge efforts to teach diverse texts and discuss racism, as I do in my mostly white classroom. I know that many white families celebrated Obama, seek out opportunities to understand issues of race, and cry, scream and demonstrate after race-based atrocities of the past and will in the future, and I believe they bring their children along on their personal journeys. I do these things also.

My parents did some of these things too. So then I ask myself, if my parents did these things, why don't I have any friends of color? Why do I live in a mostly white neighborhood? Why do I blame race when considering what the difference is at South? If my parents, and presumably their liberal white friends, did some of the same things, then why is there a huge achievement gap in Minneapolis? Why are communities still largely segregated in the Twin Cities? Why aren't white liberal adults (like me) incensed to the point of action with speech and money every day? Why do so many liberal white families seek out educational opportunities for their children in the suburbs or in private schools that are NOT diverse despite what you see on their websites or what they say?

I'm not disappointed nor do I feel I am missing something in my friend group. I love all my white friends, colleagues and my white husband. What I am disappointed in is that somehow the white community that I live in, including myself and my white husband, has not found a way to demand more for all of the human beings in our community.  A part of me believes, or hopes, that the world may change if more white children grow up interacting daily with actual peers of color-- not people of color in books, movies, media or on Facebook. Peers who tell bad jokes, and get offended, and forgive, and share, and listen, and sweat, and cheer, and dream. History repeats itself, correct? So what am I willing to do differently than my parents?