Black at <insert school here>
I haven’t written anything over the past few weeks because I don’t have much to contribute to our national conversation on race. Now is the time for me to listen and understand.
That being said, I’ve been drawn in by the rise of social media accounts in which black students share their experiences at private schools. These accounts, usually named “blackat<insert school name>” mostly feature a stream of testimonials to stupid, insensitive, and hurtful things kids and teachers have said and done. Not every white student or teacher described in these stories is malicious, but the hurt and fear are no less real to the black kids.
I found these statements tragic and powerful. I’ve also found myself frantically searching for an account about incidents at the schools I’ve served. I know I said stupid and insensitive things as a teenager, and probably as a teacher. I’m sure I failed to step up and intervene when I could have.
But what saddens me the most, as I read these accounts and think about the black young men and women I taught, is that I didn’t do more to help them feel safe so they could share these experiences with me when they happened. There was a wall between us preventing me from understanding these kids better. I ignored it. What a missed opportunity.
Guilt and regret won’t help anything… While I don’t have much to contribute to the conversation of race in our country or in our schools, I was privileged to edit this fantastic and crucial conversation between my friend, Michael Lomuscio, and Lawrence Alexander The conversation is framed as how to prepare for hiring a Director of DEI, but Mr. Alexander addresses the much deeper racial issues embedded in private education.
Let’s listen again. And again. Let’s seek understanding as we try to get things right.