June 8… Richmond Schools and Race
How do you see this history affecting
your work as a teacher in RPS (please be as personal and specific as you can)?Given
where Pratt's account finishes and anything you happen to know about RPS today,
do you see any hope for the future?
As a history teacher, Pratt’s work has a monumental effect on the way I will be teaching, especially when I teach race-related issues (though almost all American history is race-related if you think about it). I need to communicate to my students how the systems used by Richmond political leadership contributed to the still segregated nature of the schools today. I want my students to see the consequences of history, and use their knowledge to promote change.
ReplyDeleteI’m still struggling a bit with my role as white teacher, teaching black students about the terrible things white politicians did to African-American families: How do I convey this information without coming across as insensitive, or on the other hand overly apologetic? I don’t want to stand up at the front of my class, and say “I’m sorry,” before each lesson, but it’s impossible not to feel some kind of responsibility for the actions of my race. Hopefully if I remain honest, genuine, and sympathetic, I’ll be alright.
I consider myself an idealist/optimist, however naïve that may be. So I do have hope for RPS. As long as there are dedicated people working to solve social issues, great things can happen. I didn’t grow up in Richmond, and have only been here a few weeks, so you guys might have a more informed perspective about this than I do. But it’s my first instinct to always anticipate the best in people, even if I have no information to back up that optimism.
Marie here.
ReplyDeleteAwareness is key. This information is relevant and will help me to perform my role as a teacher as I continue to obtain knowledge and attempt to impart some knowledge to my students.
While sordid, this account of the history of Richmond schools helps me to understand the prevailing attitudes in the City and the region. As a non-native Virginian, I was able to discern the depth of the attitudes toward race and education, but did not know the historical basis for it. Having read the troubling tale of the protracted effort by some (the parents of black students) to desegregate and by others (seeming every body else) to maintain the status quo it is hard to be anything but bitter and suspicious of the current resegregation of Richmond schools and the seeming lack of concern by the power structure for Richmond children and their education.
I usually believe that where there is a will there is a way to get almost anything done. I want to think that there are brighter days ahead, not only for Richmond Public Schools, but for all schools. I want to believe that one day a diverse population of students will successfully attend the schools. However, my optimism is diminished by the historical perspectives shared by Pratt including court cases, Massive Resistance, passive resistance, overt racist remarks and actions by politicians, white flight, plans that started faltered and bit the dust, a proposed metropolitan school merger, possible missed opportunities to make a difference when Blacks held power in the city and the arrival at the point where the schools stand today. Another reason for my skepticism is bolstered by the Lipman article’s contentions that the lack of progress in making substantive changes to public education is part of a larger containment, militaristic, corporate driven effort to keep marginalized populations marginalized for nefarious purposes. I will stop with that line of reasoning before being considered a conspiracy theorist.
There are many options that have been floated that show potential to right the ship of public education. They should continue to be raised and advocated for loudly and consistently. I will not elaborate extensively, but I support focus on and dealing with the larger issues of poverty, infrastructure of school buildings, community and family systems, accountability for adequate funding, and many other innovative approaches that could and should be used to help bolster public education.
I will maintain hope for change because I have met many proud native Richmonders of both races and especially have been heartened by the smart and wonderful youth in Richmond and the surrounding areas. Our role as a teacher will be to impart knowledge to our students and help impact their future. That teaching will have to include the factual elements of history and the present that are not so flattering but may serve as a call to action.
One way to help ensure change would be to summarily drop policy makers into the situations in public schools that students and teachers face on a daily basis - for an extended amount of time and not just for a photo op. Then ask them if THIS is the kind of school you would want to attend or have your child attend. If the policy maker’s answer is "No. It is not good enough." - then the answer must be "No" to inadequate, inferior or racially monolithic schools. "No they are not good enough for ANY child". (And I am going to do something about it - once somebody lets me out of here).
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ReplyDeleteYes, I agree awareness is key.
ReplyDeleteWhile the Pratt text deepens my undestanding of the history of the area I will not be taking it with me into the classroom. I want to start teaching with a blank canvas. I'm going in understanding that I'm working with the students whose parents we affected by these policies, but not assuming that they will hold anything against me because I'm white. I may be a bit different from the students that I work with but I plan to build on our commonalities. I'm going to accept the experience as it comes and deal with issues when they arise.
The Pratt text left me with a feeling of somberness but not a sense of hopelessness. When you're exposed to the cruelty and blatant immorality of your fellow man it's hard to truly comprehend it. But the reality is, I don't want to understand these types of people, ignorance is just that, ignorance. Will it be a struggle? I'm almost positive. I'm a white male scientist, who'll be trying to gain the trust of black kids who by all accounts both historical and presently have likely little reason to trust me. Reputations will have to be built from the ground up and trust earned. I'm fine with that, because at the end of the day, I know I have to fight for a better tomorrow. Personally, there is no other solution, no other way to right wrongs and provide a Richmond that I can be proud to raise my own children in one day. I don't quite know how I'll translate these deep seeded feelings into a sound pedological standard. I'm stuck somewhere between white guilt, deficient thinking and trying to teach to the whole child. My new found consciousness of the magnitude of this problem must serve as motivation. But something tells me that despite all that we take from the books we read and instructions we receive it'll all boil down making subtle choices to positively impacts children's lives, one day at a time, one child at the time, making use of each singular defining moment. I can't change the past, but I can learn from it to influence the future.
ReplyDeleteI will begin by saying that I am usually the optimist when faced with such disparaging facts. It is a reality that I will be going into these classrooms and teaching students with the understanding and knowledge of such profound racial issues, but I think that though it may be slow, change is possible and will come. It is my job to at least bring forth some of that change for a Richmond I would be proud to live in and schools I would have no reservations about sending my own children to. I think part of my optimism is in the fact that we are talking about these issues openly and frankly. Sure we are talking about it in a closed environment full of intellectuals, but if we are having this discourse and the text is available, who is to say that others aren't reading it as well and coming to terms with these harsh realities? Knowing where you stand with the standing facts, I believe, is the beginning of social change. If small groups are talking about it, then larger groups can be formed and the more people brought together for a cause, the more chances of success- as we have seen with those opposing desegregation in the first place. I may be extremely optimistic about the topic because this is what I have seen myself doing for so long and I truly believe that change can happen despite the abysmal descriptions presented in Pratt's text. I would say that I am holding onto my hope and optimism, though it may make me naive and a little unrealistic. I know what I am walking into, but I just think putting a positive spin on things, with the reality of things in mind, would help me cope in the long run.
ReplyDeleteAs far as my classroom goes, I think I have to keep these things in mind, but I would still teach to the best of my ability. It affects my work because this is the world that my students will know and the history is relevant to their lives, whether they realize it or not. Since I am not a history teacher, it isn't my forte to cover the historical aspects within schooling, but I could support the work of history teachers by acknowledging these things and showing how they apply to student's lives and maybe bridging (language of Dr. Muth) the gap between in and out of school discourses. It is true that my students would be well aware of the segregation in schools, I noticed it when I was younger when my elementary school was mostly Black and when I went to a middle school in a more affluent part of DC I saw changes in demographics. If I could notice these things at 12 years old, I am pretty sure my students would be able to see these things too. I think I would encourage my students to write about their feelings about it if they ever arise and go from there. It is important, to me anyway, to demonstrate to my students that their voices and their personal experiences are important.
I am honestly not sure how exactly knowing the history and everything that went on in the RichmondPublic School System will have a direct effect on my teaching, but I do know that it is important to be aware of the history and background of the place I willl be teaching. I came to Richmond knowing nothing of the history of the city or the race relations of the city. I am not really shocked by what I have learned, although it is sad. I think it is important that I am made aware of these issues, because me to understand the history and background of the place I will be teaching in, and that is important. I have to remain hopeful that there is hope for the future. I think a large part of the reason that we all became teachers is that we believe in the power of the next generation. In that senses, I do believe that things can and will change/
ReplyDeleteTo be honest I do not know how much this is going to affect my teaching practices. I think we are all well aware of the race issue in America and how it has permeated through our culture. The things I learned in the reading weren’t remotely shocking or surprising but that may be me just being a history person. I also think that our students will have already been exposed to the worst realities of our past by the time they get to our classroom. Racism isn’t something that can be explained rationally and/or intelligently so trying to find some logic or explanation for what happened would be pointless. I think all students should be encouraged to discuss and ponder about race issues but also giving them false hope that somehow things have changed so quickly would be dangerous. I do have hope as I am an optimist but we have to also face the reality that this is not only a Richmond problem but a national one.
ReplyDeleteAs mentioned above in multiple posts, awareness is key. I think that reading Pratt and learning about the history of the desegregation struggle specifically in Richmond Public Schools is extremely valuable as we prepare to work in a system that clearly needs improvement. I'm not yet sure how this knowledge of the past will work its way into my day-to-day teaching - I hope that it adds to my ability to understand some of my students, their families, and the attitudes of the region. While it's hard to imagine myself in a policy role right now, before I have ever stepped foot in the classroom, I hope that eventually I will have some power to work to improve the segregation issue so prevalent not only in RPS, but in other schools as well. Learning about why the system is the way it is, and discovering the attitudes and policies that helped get us to where we are today, is crucial in understanding the deep-roots of educational inequity so that effective solutions can be designed. Another great back-story book is The World We Created at Hamilton High, by Gerald Grant. This is another case study of integration, but it takes place Syracuse, New York. The "Hamilton High" of today, Grant argues, is our ideal model of a racially diverse school. Even so, the process to achieve such diversity was ugly. If the Richmond Public School system moves towards true desegregation in the future, it would be interesting to see how the dynamics of this process compare with that of the school studied in Grant's book, which truly desegregated a bit earlier in a different area of the country.
ReplyDeleteI'm lucky, in that my content area doesn't include teaching history and things like that. I say this not because I dislike history (quite the contrary), but because I am looking forward to the opportunity to be able to start with a blank canvas, as Brett said. I'm really in his camp, and I agree wholeheartedly with his reflection on the issue. I do not plan to walk into my classroom and hang my hat on a shameful post every day, because I personally have nothing to be ashamed of. Rather, I think that I have many things to be proud of, and I would like to impart that pride on my kids as we work through some of the muddy waters of high school math. I think that acknowledging the issues is mandatory, but I don't think that I will treat them daily, because it is important to let my actions speak for myself rather then engage the students in a lengthy conversation about the history of race relations (we could be factoring!! -- just kidding).
ReplyDeleteI'm not happy with the history of schools in Virginia. I think it's downright ridiculous that a bunch of arrogant white males were allowed to drive policy for such a long time. I am happy with having learned the history of schools in Virginia, because it shines a light on not only school segregation, but it also informs my knowledge of Richmond's demographics and why certain regions are marginalized and swept under the bed. I, personally, will not continue this policy of passive segregation, and I think that we are all very well prepared walking into these classrooms.
At the end of the day (beginning of the day?), I plan to simply close the door and try to teach some beautiful mathematics.
The Prett text has affected how I am going to approach teaching in that it has brought racial issues closer to home. This book did not take place that long ago. My parents were in high school when busing came to Richmond, provoking such a backlash, and they knew personally one of the larger figures in the text. I always thought of the times being so different and so far apart, but I can't think Chesterfield and Henrico would be happy about being combined with Richmond Public Schools today. The language and devises of the backlash and debate would be different, certainly, but I worry that a lot of that difference is due to political correctness, not substantial change in feelings. After all, the parents out in the counties now were the children whose parents pulled them out of Richmond in the 60s and 70s. They fled instead of engaging in vital social change and they didn't get a chance to have their expectations unfulfilled. Reflecting on my experiences with more well off white Richmonders who were the children in this book, I think they missed a significant opportunity to change their opinions and learn about other people through building a strong, integrated public school system. They talk about leaving the public schools in the early seventies in an 'of course' kind of way. Now, I was lucky enough to have been raised by a mother who talk me about the desegregation of Richmond in a 'this was messed up' kind of way. But she still downplayed it and distanced herself.
ReplyDeleteAs to how it will directly impact my teaching, I don't know for sure. But I know that I will feel a part of something important. I think it might give me sustenance, to know the history. To know how a whole swath of people were wronged and how difficult it was to achieve desegregation. Because I want to overcome the history, as something not just stowed away in the past, but a struggle still going on today.
To be honest I don't know how this text is going to affect the way I teach. I agree with Ryan that I don't want be condescending by drawing unnecessary attention to issues surrounding race. On the other hand, I certainly can't just pretend that the history of the city and the nation doesn't include institutionalized segregation and discrimination, or that such histories are not reflected in modern day culture. I do wonder to what extent my race will impact my teaching or my students and coworkers perception of me, or me of them. Teaching science, I don't expect to face the same challenges that Ryan discussed in terms of curriculum. On the other hand, it's not like a whole lot of black scientists will be popping up in their textbooks either, and wanting to know why that is is not unreasonable on the part of a student.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to reading Johnson's book because as a white person it is sometimes hard to not feel defensive or apologetic towards issues surrounding race and discrimination. Sometimes when people talk about race relations and white privilege I feel like I am being accused, although I think this has more to do with my own preconceived notions then anything else. (Which by the way is not something I am proud of, just trying to be honest here).
So I guess what I'm trying to say is, I don't know. I can not say for sure how learning this history will affect my teaching. I certainly believe I will be better of having some understanding the historical and social foundations of segregation in Richmond. I'll never have lived it and I'll never understand it the way those who were directly affected will, but an open and informed mind is a positive thing.
After reading this book, one sentence on page 32 stuck out to me. “Already burdened with feelings of inferiority and insecurity, black children were understandably reluctant to transfer to an alien and often hostile environment where racial prejudice and discrimination could become particularly acute.” This just makes me think of the stories my dad used to tell me when he was in school and he had to go to the “all white” school. He told me about all the times him and his siblings would have to run home because of being chased by white people. I don’t know how many fights he and his brothers got into with white students because they would pick on them. Just reading page 32 alone made me think, “Oh, now I see what my dad had to go through.”
ReplyDeleteNow as far as how RPS history will affect my work as a teacher, I am not too sure. After all, I will be teaching the sciences and I don’t think history or racism will come up that much in my classroom. Now if this were to come up, I feel like it would not be as hard for me to talk about it because my family experienced almost the same thing growing up, just in a different location. It’s almost like my dad’s history is mine as well too.
I guess it is good to be aware of the history (as many have mentioned), and background of the school systems in which I will be teaching. I am optimistic that there is hope for the future, just not anytime soon.
I don't think there's any way that the history of failed desegregation in RPS won't affect my experience as a teacher, whether I choose to acknowledge it explicitly or no. What I am wrestling in my mind is how to turn this knowledge of systemic and cultural injustice into mindful educating; and I'm not sure how.
ReplyDeleteLike Brett and Derek (and whoever else has posted since last I looked), I'd like to simply treat my students as individual people, each with his or her own experience and context, but I don't think it's that simple, and I don't know that I will be seen as such by students or by my future colleagues. I fear the stigma of the educated liberal white person, swooping in to “save the day,” or what have you. I think, frankly, this class and program will assure that I am saved from such delusions.
Like Krystal and Christina, I am not sure how this topic will come up explicitly in my science classroom, except, as Christina points out, from the probable paltry amounts of examples of black scientists (especially Earth Scientists, in my experience).
In short, I feel that knowing this history is good for my perspective, but hope that it won't weigh down my approach to my students.