An Analysis of a White Preservice Teacher’s Reflections on Race and Young Children Within an Urban School Context

Abstract

Building upon research that theorizes and documents students' perceptions of race, racial attitudes, and treatment by teachers, this article explores the impact of resegregation on how children of Color see and experience race in schools, specifically in relation to their teachers. Drawing upon our interpretations of a White preservice teacher's interactions with two African American elementary students, the students' awareness of her race, and their subsequent "racialized" perceptions of her effectiveness as a teacher, we explore the domino effects of racial and economic segregation on young children's schooling experiences, particularly as they relate to their relationships with teachers.

I Can’t Be Racist—I Teach in an Urban School, and I’m a Nice White Lady!

“…Jackson et al (2016) explain de facto segregation, caused by white flight and gentrification, as well as public housing, has contributed to the re-segregation of our schools (Jackson et al, 2016). White educators may exempt themselves from responsibility for matters outside the classroom, believing they have no control over community or societal issues; however, if we-white teachers-shift the blame, we avoid what is our responsibility: listening to our students.…”

“…The way in which counter-narratives manifest in the classroom varies, but they can appear as a seemingly innocent comment. Jackson et al (2016) describe such an encounter with an elementary student who told her white teacher, "I'm not supposed to like white people, but I like you" (p. 64). I have heard similar statements from my African American and Latino students, such as "You're okay for a white lady," or "I used to hate white people, but I like you.…”

“…The students' comments, according to Jackson et al (2016), reveal a process many children of color experience growing up: racial socialization. When parents of color racially socialize their children, they may share their own experiences with implicit or explicit bias or engage in direct instruction about how to handle discrimination.…”

“…Another component of racial socialization is the promotion of mistrust. According to Jackson et al (2016), this process is distinct from preparation for experiencing bias because parents provide no direction for action. Instead, they offer social distance warnings about groups with which their children should be wary and cautious.…”

“…Ignoring race in the classroom continues the oppressive cycle. To change the way race is understood, it must be openly addressed (Jackson, Bryan & Larkin, 2016). This failure on the teachers' part "undermined [their] espoused beliefs and practices around respect for and empathy with the Black community at large, including a willingness to learn from it" and is a serious limitation (Cooper, 2003, p. 425).…”