Now guess the lie. 🧐

The document reads “the Board commits to remedying these inequalities and guaranteeing fair treatment and equitable access to a quality education for all student.”  This is a noble and ambitious vision.  I also appreciate the reference to greater inequalities throughout our history, institutions, and social groups AND this problem is SO pervasive which makes it more challenging to address.  I like how the commitments seem to be inclusive.  

The district highlights the importance of data-driven strategies and research-based review.  This is an important component to success.  Without feedback, the district would be unable to access the successes and failures throughout the plan.  There are many, many directives and few details (or how tos): 

For example, Increase identification for services, increase diversity of school staff, improve climate and culture of all schools, high achievement expectations for all, engagement with deep thinking, provide rich curriculum resources that are more racial diverse, educate teachers on inequalities and racial identities, train staff on restorative practice strategies, increase cultural competence, reduce racial disparities in discipline, increase minority enrollment in enhances and accelerated programs, working with community partners to address poverty, hosting community conversations, Superintendent accountability… 

My question for most of this is “How?”

The plan for the committee has the most detail, but who is invited to the table will be crucial.  This is an area where perhaps white voices should be minimal.  I do see a lot of diversity within the roles selected for the 11 members.  I would also like to know where JCPS is with this development.  

I think the Racial Equity Policy is a good start and there is still a long way to go and a lot of work to be done.  I’m excited the conversation is open and out there and look forward to working on this with all of you.  

And one good thing I learned from my parents was not to give up, and without knowing that I was doing it, I started using the code - switching
allowing me to exist in this country and interact with a variety of people.
<- Unfortunately there are a lot of students like Endiya and Tatiana in the world that have experienced difficult moments, we just need as teachers to realize that we live in a world where cultural diversity increases every day, and we must be prepared to face this type of problem and under no circumstances should we allow any student or person to make another feel bad, because we are all special in one way or another, and no one, for any reason, has the right to make us feel sad or belittled for being different.

? Does anyone find it challenging at times to exclude their own personal bias from your own teaching methods? As educators we find ourselves as caregivers in the classroom as well and unintentionally enforce a bias from how we where raised. Has anyone ever found themselves code switching throughout their life experiences? 
< Code switching is so common that it trickles over into adult habits. The same code switching techniques that are used to survive in school are the same techniques used by minorities in the work place. 
! No student deserves to endure a teacher who remains silent in the face of oppression. This comment was very powerful. It was an "aha" moment and a good way to bring awareness to educators. This single comment expresses one of the most important responsibilities we have as LTR residents: to speak up and face oppression so that it can be eliminated over all.

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Shena Allen-Thompson

Shena Allen-Thompson

? Does this type of story keep you up at night ? 
< I can remember many times in my life when I didn't understand how to code-switch. It was skill that took me years to develop and I'm still adjusting to this day. Looking back, I understand how I would suppress my identity to fit in. Many times I would be  silent and failed to speak up for others or myself. I had feelings of not being good enough, so I simply remain silent. 
! I've always know that code-switching was an important skill to have, but adding CPU with it, takes it to another level.I always used the C and P, but would normally leave out the U. Many times I would lose myself trying to appear as something or someone else. 

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Danays Costa Alonso

Danays Costa Alonso

? - Have you ever think how many time you have used code-switching in your life to try to fit in a group or to be accepted for others?
< - After reading the article and watching the video, I feel identified with Endiya and Tatiana because I felt some of the same feelings they experienced. In my case it was very sad the so many times I had to deal with this problem at the beginning of arriving to this country, because when you are a child sometimes you do not understand some things that happen around you, but when you are an adult and the people surround you look at you badly and disparage you for the simple fact of being an immigrant and not speaking their language it was something very depressing to me.

And one good thing I learned from my parents was not to give up, and without knowing that I was doing it, I started using the code - switching
allowing me to exist in this country and interact with a variety of people.
<- Unfortunately there are a lot of students like Endiya and Tatiana in the world that have experienced difficult moments, we just need as teachers to realize that we live in a world where cultural diversity increases every day, and we must be prepared to face this type of problem and under no circumstances should we allow any student or person to make another feel bad, because we are all special in one way or another, and no one, for any reason, has the right to make us feel sad or belittled for being different.

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Immanuel Shuford

Immanuel Shuford

!
The most interesting thing is that the learning environment, not the material, can play an influential and far reaching effect on an individual's educational experience. The ramifications of which stay with students long after they have matriculated. 

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Nicole Golston

Nicole Golston

 ?- What is the proper way to handle the situation with the self-portrait? 
How does one eradicate their biases?

< Fortunately and unfortunately, I've been in classrooms where I was the only student of color. It is important that the teacher be an ally. There are a million things children stress and worry about coming into new environments and their identity should not be one of them. I particularly like the recommendation of self-expression support and it's acknowledgement of not exploiting diversity of students.

!- My aha! moment was realizing how much I actually use the skill of code switching and how it can be confused. When I was preparing my video for this program I went back and forth over what to do with my natural hair. At the time it was an afro. I wondered if I'd be seen as unprofessional. Then I decided it was better to be authentic and that my speech and resume` would prove my professionalism.  

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Adrienne Abrams

Adrienne Abrams

< I find that I too code switch daily and I was taught this practice by my parents and it was reinforced by my education in JCPS and even college. With so  many diverse people in the world and opportunities to meet and socialize, code switching can be very effective in building work or personal relationships. It comes down to awareness. Are we as a society challenging ourselves to really get to know another culture and ask questions. Not in a  condescending way but in a way o truly learn and be that advocate for someone when it is needed.
? Is code switching a necessary evil? Is it even evil?
No aha moments but a hmmm... when it was stated that biases should be "eradicated before entering a classroom" I hope this a topic we discuss more as we move through this semester and the next. 

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Brunson, Erica - Coach

Brunson, Erica - Coach

<-
"What you allow, you encourage." It's not enough to not be a racist. It's important to be an anti-racist. This reminds me of the MLK quote, "In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." Kids will remember the teacher who was not vocal about the racism they experienced from others. That hurt runs deep and is lasting. May we never be that educator!

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Lucy Ricketts, Candidate

Lucy Ricketts, Candidate

I watched the video, "Discover the Powerful CPU of Code-Switching", in awe of these young ladies. I had a few ! moments:
1. I code-switch all the time without realizing it, and have coached my children and others to do the same.
2. I found it sort of ironic that the presenters used largely professional dress, presentation skills, and attire to talk about this issue.
? Would have been more effective if they presented themselves more authentically - the way they stated they want to be in a classroom?
? Can we be successful without learning to code-switch? Will the world ever get to a place where the bi-racial woman (like me) will get hired based on merit only? Sometimes I'm "too white" and sometimes I'm "too black" depending on who's judging my voice, hair, clothes, etc.  This was a great video to use to start conversation.

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Lucy Ricketts

Lucy Ricketts

The article by Endiya Griffin offers a number of points with which I fully agree. One topic she briefly mentions, however, is cultural competency in health care. While it is true there is legislation to provide access to care, it was not until cultural competency standards were mandated into accreditation and quality standards that most providers, hospitals, and health plans complied.  I think it's reasonable, then to  anticipate a similar, long journey of introducing cultural competency into schools. From my experience, Ms. Griffin is right on target when she states that all of us must acknowledge our biases. I would advocate for a step before that: Explain that we are all diverse, because we are in multiple ways.  This helps minimize the "us against them" mentality that can cause some people to shut down to any ideas of cultural competence. The author reference this is step 4 when recommends hiring faculty with diverse identities. Diverse is not a label limited to people with brown skin. When we create a sense of common purpose and common experience, we create empathy. If her teacher had understood this, she would have been more likely to have been her advocate on that first day of school.

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Clarissa Bryant

Clarissa Bryant 

I absolutely loved the article and TedXYouth talk by Endiya Griffin and Tatiana Howell. I got so much out of this, especially as a white female who grew up ignorant to these issues, and now can be educated on the proper ways to support People of Color and minorities in the classroom. 

! - One of my favorite quotes from the lecture was regarding change and Howell said "if not now, when?". Griffin also said "You should never feel you have to give up who you are to exist in a society" and I fully agree with this statement and it is one of the biggest motivations for me as a teacher. This was a major "yessssss!!!!" moment for me! 

< - Regarding the article, I feel there are many things I related to such as not having a male Black instructor until I was post-bacc in college, and many disparities in punishment and reward I have seen as a substitute teacher. 

? - I would love to hear an example of how the teacher in Howell's example could have best approached the situation of the young boy referring to her drawing being brown as "ugly". 

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See Me for Who I Am/Discover the powerful CPU of code-switching

See Me for Who I Am/Discover the powerful CPU of code-switching

See me for who I am - Learning Forward

On the first day of 1st grade, I walked into class to discover that mine was the only black face in the room. We began the day by introducing ourselves and showing off the self-portraits that we'd made over the summer.

learning forward

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<- There are some great takeaways from the video and article.  I am glad that the LTR program is going to use this as an opportunity to develop more culturally aware teachers and help us be better for our students.  I don’t want to be a teacher that doesn’t make my students feel celebrated, accepted, loved, or valued for who they are.  

! – My aha moment was a moment of self-reflection.  Prior to reading the article and watching the video, I thought I did a good job of celebrating and respecting all cultures, but honestly, I know I could do way better.  I don’t want to have a blanket answer for helping my students respond in situations of oppression or for my voice in advocating for cultural awareness.  I want to know and understand the importance of physical, emotional, or celebratory representations of my students’ cultures.  I want to be equipped with knowledge and make personal connections with their cultures so I can have a better understanding and be a better role model.

Comment< “No student deserves to endure a teacher who remains silent in the face of oppression”. Growing up playing baseball, I have been in situations were I felt my coaches didn’t have my back. I was often joked on or called names because I was the only African American kid on my teams.My coaches would either laugh or say nothing, leaving me to have to stand up for myself. I think too much code switching can damage someone identity because it lead to them to believe that they are something they are not. I have used code switching since a young age. I had white friends my whole life and sometimes catch myself talking or acting like them. Not saying that its a bad thing, but then you get told that “you are acting white”, which is one thing I hate to hear.

Aha! “When educators reflect the variety of the world that we live in, they can better equip students to thrive by fostering creativity, promoting empathy, reducing prejudice, and improving student achievement”.  If a student is taught by someone who is boxed minded and bias throughout grade school, then they will reflect that teaching. Code switching works for all races and ethnicities.