Most teachers avoid discussing race in class, and the recent controversy in Cobb County over a simulation of the Underground Railroad in an elementary school classroom suggests the topic is complex and requires sensitivity.
But two private school teachers in metro Atlanta believe race discussions have a place in the classroom.
Martha Caldwell and Oman Frame teach at the Paideia School in Atlanta and are co-founders of iChange Collaborative, where they train teachers and students in inclusion education, cultural competency, social emotional learning, and ethical leadership. They are co-authors of "Let's Get Real: Exploring Race, Class, and Gender Identities in the Classroom."
Today in the AJC Get Schooled blog, they write, “Race is one of the first things we notice when we meet a person. And while race is only one component of identity, it often drives conversations about individuality and diversity. Everyone in the nation is talking about race outside of school, from the Olympics to Milwaukee to Snapchat. So why aren’t we talking about it in the classroom? If we want students to think critically about solving persistent social problems related to race, we have to help them examine the issue and investigate its roots.”
To read more, go to the AJC Get Schooled blog.
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