Talking About Race in Mostly White Schools BRIDGING THE DIVIDE BY GIVING YOUNG PEOPLE AN ENTRY POINT INTO THE PAINFUL REALITIES OF RACE IN AMERICA

Leah Shafer:

When racially charged controversies dominate the news cycle, some young people may feel disconnected — or even uninterested.

The reality is that many neighborhoods and schools in suburban and rural America are not diverse and are largely white. Students may not see many people who look different from them. Conversations about race can feel personally irrelevant, and therefore obligatory and rote. And teachers may feel stymied, worried about finding the right words.