Metaphorically Speaking: Does your school have cancer?

Sam is diagnosed with cancer. 

Recently I went LIVE on Instagram and compared racism to cancer. I started with a fictional character named Sam who goes to the doctor because of pain that won't go away. I talked about how the doctor then runs some tests and diagnoses Sam with cancer. Sam, then, has two ways they can respond. One: humbly accept the diagnoses, with gratefulness thank the doctor for finding it, openly discuss the treatment steps, and go home to tell family and friends and prepare for the work ahead. Two: become angry with the doctor for being cancerous and diagnosing cancer, become irate at the possibility that they are sick, negate the treatment, calling it offensive. Hopefully, the second option seems illogical and unacceptable to you, as it does for me. But isn't this what we do collectively, as a nation and as institutions, when we call the people naming (or diagnosing) racism, divisive and racist??? We ostracize them, call them names, and we deny their claims, because "how dare you insinuate this?" 

Just as a patient may experience pain in their arm, signaling an underlying health issue, our schools exhibit symptoms of racism that demand our attention. These symptoms manifest in various forms, such as the prioritization of standardized testing over the well-being of children, the lack of protocols for addressing racist incidents, and the disparities in suspension and disciplinary actions. It is our responsibility to recognize these symptoms and take action to address the root cause.

I want to emphasize the importance of acknowledging and addressing this deep-rooted issue within our education system. There is a danger to denying the existence of racism in our schools. Similarly to Sam, when confronted with the issue of racism, we can either acknowledge its presence and work towards a solution or become defensive and minimize the problem. Denial and anger only perpetuate the issue, leaving it to grow and fester, causing further harm to our students and communities. The problem then grows and corrupts everything, like cancer. 

Get a doctor. 
Just as a patient relies on the expertise of a doctor to diagnose and treat their illness, we must seek the guidance of experts in the field of anti-racism education. Bring in "doctors" – educators and professionals who specialize in addressing racism – to help navigate this complex issue. Combating racism in our schools requires a collective effort from all stakeholders – teachers, administrators, parents, and students. We must approach this with humility, respect, and a willingness to listen and learn from one another. 

Now. We have to do this now. 
As we prepare for the upcoming school year, we cannot afford to ignore the cancer of racism that plagues our education system. The events of the past year have highlighted the urgent need for change, and our students, teachers, and communities are counting on us to take action. We must prioritize the creation of anti-racist policies, provide ongoing professional development for educators, and foster open and honest conversations about race and equity.

Immediate action steps you can take: 

1. Contact us to be your organization's doctors. 
2. Grab your seat in The Antiracist Teacher Course. 
3. Buy The Antiracist Teacher or Textured Teaching to design a plan of action with your staff/employees.