WEBVTT 00:00:00.792 --> 00:00:02.351 So, a few years ago, 00:00:02.375 --> 00:00:06.018 I was beginning a new unit on race with my fourth-graders. 00:00:06.042 --> 00:00:08.226 And whenever we start a new unit, 00:00:08.250 --> 00:00:11.934 I like to begin by having all the students list everything they know about it, 00:00:11.958 --> 00:00:14.643 and then we also list questions we have. 00:00:14.667 --> 00:00:19.101 And I had the type of moment that every teacher has nightmares about. 00:00:19.125 --> 00:00:21.976 One of my students had just asked the question, 00:00:22.000 --> 00:00:24.268 "Why are some people racist?" 00:00:24.292 --> 00:00:27.101 And another student, let's call her Abby, 00:00:27.125 --> 00:00:29.893 had just raised her hand and volunteered: 00:00:29.917 --> 00:00:34.417 "Maybe some people don't like black people because their skin is the color of poop." 00:00:35.542 --> 00:00:36.809 Yeah, I know. NOTE Paragraph 00:00:36.833 --> 00:00:41.643 So, as if on cue, my entire class exploded. 00:00:41.667 --> 00:00:43.684 Half of them immediately started laughing, 00:00:43.708 --> 00:00:45.708 and the other half started yelling at Abby 00:00:45.732 --> 00:00:46.976 and shouting things like, 00:00:47.000 --> 00:00:49.351 "Oh, my God, you can't say that, that's racist!" 00:00:49.375 --> 00:00:52.768 So just take a second to freeze this scene in your mind. 00:00:52.792 --> 00:00:55.059 There's a class of nine- and ten-year-olds, 00:00:55.083 --> 00:00:56.934 and half of them are in hysterics 00:00:56.958 --> 00:01:00.851 because they think Abby has said something wildly funny, 00:01:00.875 --> 00:01:04.476 and the other half are yelling at her for saying something offensive. 00:01:04.500 --> 00:01:07.393 And then you have Abby, sitting there completely bewildered 00:01:07.417 --> 00:01:10.851 because, in her mind, she doesn't understand the weight of what she said 00:01:10.875 --> 00:01:13.684 and why everybody is reacting this way. 00:01:13.708 --> 00:01:15.351 And then you have me, the teacher, 00:01:15.375 --> 00:01:18.559 standing there in the corner, like, about to have a panic attack. NOTE Paragraph 00:01:18.583 --> 00:01:20.018 So as a classroom teacher, 00:01:20.042 --> 00:01:23.518 I have to make split-second decisions all the time. 00:01:23.542 --> 00:01:25.958 And I knew I needed to react, but how? 00:01:26.875 --> 00:01:30.018 Consider your fight-or-flight instincts. 00:01:30.042 --> 00:01:35.768 I could fight by raising my voice and reprimanding her for her words. 00:01:35.792 --> 00:01:38.393 Or flight -- just change the subject 00:01:38.417 --> 00:01:40.684 and quickly start reaching for another subject, 00:01:40.708 --> 00:01:43.833 like anything to get my students' minds off the word "poop." 00:01:45.042 --> 00:01:49.643 However, as we know, the right thing to do is often not the easy thing to do. 00:01:49.667 --> 00:01:52.559 And as much as I wanted this moment to be over, 00:01:52.583 --> 00:01:56.851 and that I knew both of these options would help me escape the situation, 00:01:56.875 --> 00:02:01.083 I knew that this was far too important of a teachable moment to miss. NOTE Paragraph 00:02:01.917 --> 00:02:05.268 So after standing there for what felt like an eternity, 00:02:05.292 --> 00:02:10.268 I unfroze and I turned to face my class, and I said, 00:02:10.292 --> 00:02:13.167 "Actually, Abby makes a point." 00:02:14.042 --> 00:02:17.226 And my students kind of looked at each other, all confused. 00:02:17.250 --> 00:02:18.976 And I continued, 00:02:19.000 --> 00:02:21.351 "One reason why racism exists 00:02:21.375 --> 00:02:25.143 is because people with light skin have looked at people with dark skin 00:02:25.167 --> 00:02:27.309 and said that their skin was ugly. 00:02:27.333 --> 00:02:32.143 And even use this reason as an excuse to dehumanize them. 00:02:32.167 --> 00:02:35.768 And the reason why we're learning about race and racism in the first place 00:02:35.792 --> 00:02:38.768 is to educate ourselves to know better. 00:02:38.792 --> 00:02:41.809 And to understand why comments like this are hurtful, 00:02:41.833 --> 00:02:43.893 and to make sure that people with dark skin 00:02:43.917 --> 00:02:47.559 are always treated with respect and kindness." NOTE Paragraph 00:02:47.583 --> 00:02:51.393 Now, this was a truly terrifying teachable moment. 00:02:51.417 --> 00:02:53.893 But as we moved forward in the conversation, 00:02:53.917 --> 00:02:56.226 I noticed that both Abby and the rest of the kids 00:02:56.250 --> 00:02:57.893 were still willing to engage. 00:02:57.917 --> 00:03:01.601 And as I watched the conversation really marinate with my students, 00:03:01.625 --> 00:03:07.351 I began to wonder how many of my students have assumptions just like Abby. 00:03:07.375 --> 00:03:10.684 And what happens when those assumptions go unnoticed and unaddressed, 00:03:10.708 --> 00:03:12.042 as they so often do? NOTE Paragraph 00:03:13.000 --> 00:03:15.518 But first, I think it's important to take a step back 00:03:15.542 --> 00:03:17.667 and even consider what makes a topic taboo. 00:03:18.457 --> 00:03:20.934 I don't remember receiving an official list of things 00:03:20.958 --> 00:03:22.684 you're not supposed to talk about. 00:03:22.708 --> 00:03:26.226 But I do remember hearing, over and over, growing up: 00:03:26.250 --> 00:03:29.559 there are two things you do not talk about at family get-togethers. 00:03:29.583 --> 00:03:33.708 And those two things are religion and politics. 00:03:34.667 --> 00:03:37.309 And I always thought this was very curious 00:03:37.333 --> 00:03:41.809 because religion and politics often are such huge influencing factors 00:03:41.833 --> 00:03:44.934 over so many of our identities and beliefs. 00:03:44.958 --> 00:03:46.976 But what makes a topic taboo 00:03:47.000 --> 00:03:51.708 is that feeling of discomfort that arises when these things come up in conversation. 00:03:52.500 --> 00:03:57.518 But some people are extremely fluent in the language of equity, 00:03:57.542 --> 00:04:00.184 while other people fear being PC-shamed 00:04:00.208 --> 00:04:03.601 or that their ignorance will show as soon as they open their mouths. 00:04:03.625 --> 00:04:07.518 But I believe that the first step towards holding conversations 00:04:07.542 --> 00:04:08.809 about things like equity 00:04:08.833 --> 00:04:10.976 is to begin by building a common language. 00:04:11.000 --> 00:04:13.393 And that actually starts with destigmatizing topics 00:04:13.417 --> 00:04:15.976 that are typically deemed taboo. NOTE Paragraph 00:04:16.000 --> 00:04:19.434 Now, conversations around race, for example, 00:04:19.458 --> 00:04:21.434 have their own specific language 00:04:21.458 --> 00:04:23.768 and students need to be fluent in this language 00:04:23.792 --> 00:04:26.684 in order to have these conversations. 00:04:26.708 --> 00:04:29.476 Now, schools are often the only place 00:04:29.500 --> 00:04:31.809 where students can feel free and comfortable 00:04:31.833 --> 00:04:33.893 to ask questions and make mistakes. 00:04:33.917 --> 00:04:38.809 But, unfortunately, not all students feel that sense of security. NOTE Paragraph 00:04:38.833 --> 00:04:41.393 Now, I knew that day in front of my fourth-graders 00:04:41.417 --> 00:04:45.559 that how I chose to respond could actually have life-long implications 00:04:45.583 --> 00:04:49.851 not only for Abby, but for the rest of the students in my class. 00:04:49.875 --> 00:04:53.476 If I had brushed her words aside, 00:04:53.500 --> 00:04:57.768 the rest of the class could actually infer that this type of comment is acceptable. 00:04:57.792 --> 00:05:00.434 But if I had yelled at Abby 00:05:00.458 --> 00:05:03.143 and embarrassed her in front of all of her friends, 00:05:03.167 --> 00:05:07.351 that feeling of shame associated with one of her first conversations on race 00:05:07.375 --> 00:05:10.833 could actually prevent her from ever engaging on that topic again. NOTE Paragraph 00:05:11.542 --> 00:05:18.684 Now, teaching kids about equity in schools is not teaching them what to think. 00:05:18.708 --> 00:05:21.809 It is about giving them the tools and strategies and language 00:05:21.833 --> 00:05:24.684 and opportunities to practice how to think. 00:05:24.708 --> 00:05:28.018 For example, think about how we teach kids how to read. 00:05:28.042 --> 00:05:29.768 We don't start by giving them books. 00:05:29.792 --> 00:05:32.809 We start by breaking down words into letters and sounds 00:05:32.833 --> 00:05:37.476 and we encourage them to practice their fluency by reading every single day, 00:05:37.500 --> 00:05:40.184 with a partner or with their friends. 00:05:40.208 --> 00:05:43.184 And we give them lots of comprehension questions 00:05:43.208 --> 00:05:46.101 to make sure that they're understanding what they're reading. 00:05:46.125 --> 00:05:48.601 And I believe that teaching kids about equity 00:05:48.625 --> 00:05:52.309 should be approached in the exact same way. NOTE Paragraph 00:05:52.333 --> 00:05:55.851 I like to start by giving my students a survey every year, 00:05:55.875 --> 00:05:59.309 about different issues around equity and inclusion. 00:05:59.333 --> 00:06:01.934 And this is a sample survey from one of my kids, 00:06:01.958 --> 00:06:04.726 and as you can see, there's some humor in here. 00:06:04.750 --> 00:06:06.768 For under the question, "What is race?" 00:06:06.792 --> 00:06:09.559 she has written, "When two or more cars, people and animals 00:06:09.583 --> 00:06:13.059 run to see who is fastest and who wins." 00:06:13.083 --> 00:06:16.768 However, if you look at her question, "What is racism?" 00:06:16.792 --> 00:06:20.559 it says, "When somebody says or calls someone dark-skinned a mean name." 00:06:20.583 --> 00:06:24.226 So, she's young, but she's showing that she's beginning to understand. 00:06:24.250 --> 00:06:25.518 And when we act 00:06:25.542 --> 00:06:29.559 like our students aren't capable of having these conversations, 00:06:29.583 --> 00:06:33.333 we actually do them such a disservice. NOTE Paragraph 00:06:34.083 --> 00:06:38.268 Now, I also know that these types of conversations 00:06:38.292 --> 00:06:41.143 can seem really, really intimidating with our students, 00:06:41.167 --> 00:06:43.101 especially with young learners. 00:06:43.125 --> 00:06:45.809 But I have taught first through fifth grades, 00:06:45.833 --> 00:06:47.684 and I can tell you, for example, 00:06:47.708 --> 00:06:50.309 that I'm not going to walk into a first-grade classroom 00:06:50.333 --> 00:06:53.768 and start talking about things like mass incarceration. 00:06:53.792 --> 00:06:58.351 But even a six-year-old first-grader can understand the difference 00:06:58.375 --> 00:07:03.809 between what is fair -- people getting what they need. 00:07:03.833 --> 00:07:07.101 We identified a lot of these things in class together. 00:07:07.125 --> 00:07:10.309 And the difference between fair and equal -- 00:07:10.333 --> 00:07:12.559 when everybody gets the same thing, 00:07:12.583 --> 00:07:14.583 especially goody bags at birthday parties. 00:07:15.792 --> 00:07:18.809 Now, first-graders can also understand the difference 00:07:18.833 --> 00:07:22.018 between a punishment and a consequence. 00:07:22.042 --> 00:07:24.476 And all of these things are foundational concepts 00:07:24.500 --> 00:07:26.351 that anyone needs to understand 00:07:26.375 --> 00:07:27.768 before having a conversation 00:07:27.792 --> 00:07:30.851 about mass incarceration in the United States. NOTE Paragraph 00:07:30.875 --> 00:07:33.768 Some people might think that kindergarteners or first-graders 00:07:33.792 --> 00:07:36.434 are too young to have conversations around racism, 00:07:36.458 --> 00:07:38.559 but also tell you that young kids 00:07:38.583 --> 00:07:40.976 understand that there are many different components 00:07:41.000 --> 00:07:42.309 that make up our identities 00:07:42.333 --> 00:07:44.893 and how people are similar and different, 00:07:44.917 --> 00:07:49.018 and what it means to have power when other people don't. 00:07:49.042 --> 00:07:51.976 When we have these conversations with students at a young age, 00:07:52.000 --> 00:07:54.351 it actually takes away some of that taboo feeling 00:07:54.375 --> 00:07:56.542 when those topics come up at a later age. NOTE Paragraph 00:07:57.833 --> 00:08:00.434 I also know that teaching about these things in schools 00:08:00.458 --> 00:08:03.393 can feel like navigating a minefield. 00:08:03.417 --> 00:08:06.476 For example, what happens if parents or families 00:08:06.500 --> 00:08:09.976 aren't on board with having these conversations in schools? 00:08:10.000 --> 00:08:11.518 But to these people, I can say: 00:08:11.542 --> 00:08:15.684 these are some examples of things that students have said to me 00:08:15.708 --> 00:08:17.643 and brought to my attention. 00:08:17.667 --> 00:08:21.309 For example, I had a student come in and whisper to me, 00:08:21.333 --> 00:08:24.809 "I've heard all these people use the term LGBTQ, 00:08:24.833 --> 00:08:28.726 but I don't know what it means and I'm too embarrassed to admit it." 00:08:28.750 --> 00:08:32.851 I had a student come in over a weekend and come up to me and say, 00:08:32.875 --> 00:08:35.433 "You know, I just watched this movie about Australia, 00:08:35.457 --> 00:08:38.042 and it made me wonder if they have racism there, too." 00:08:39.000 --> 00:08:43.393 And I always want my students to be comfortable having these conversations 00:08:43.417 --> 00:08:47.101 because when they're comfortable talking about it and asking questions, 00:08:47.125 --> 00:08:50.434 they also build comfort in bringing in their own lives and experiences 00:08:50.458 --> 00:08:53.226 in how they relate to these big topics. NOTE Paragraph 00:08:53.250 --> 00:08:56.643 Also, some teachers might be kind of nervous 00:08:56.667 --> 00:08:59.309 if a student brings up a topic or asks a question 00:08:59.333 --> 00:09:01.601 and they don't know the answer to it. 00:09:01.625 --> 00:09:04.809 But if a student ever brings something to my attention 00:09:04.833 --> 00:09:06.476 and I don't know the answer, 00:09:06.500 --> 00:09:08.393 I will always admit it and own it 00:09:08.417 --> 00:09:11.309 because I'm not going to pretend to be an expert in something 00:09:11.333 --> 00:09:14.518 that I don't have experience in or I'm not an authority on. 00:09:14.542 --> 00:09:16.518 That same year, I had a student come in 00:09:16.542 --> 00:09:19.559 and ask a question about the LGBTQ community. 00:09:19.583 --> 00:09:23.351 And I just didn't know enough to give them an appropriate answer. 00:09:23.375 --> 00:09:25.351 So instead, I encouraged that student 00:09:25.375 --> 00:09:28.809 to reach out and ask that question to a representative of a nonprofit 00:09:28.833 --> 00:09:32.476 who had come to speak to our class about that very same issue. 00:09:32.500 --> 00:09:35.768 When we admit to our students that we don't have all the answers, 00:09:35.792 --> 00:09:38.268 not only does it humanize us to them, 00:09:38.292 --> 00:09:41.059 it also shows them that adults have a long way to go, too, 00:09:41.083 --> 00:09:43.375 when it comes to learning about issues of equity. NOTE Paragraph 00:09:44.708 --> 00:09:48.976 Now, a little while back, I wrote a lesson about consent. 00:09:49.000 --> 00:09:51.018 And, to some people, this was very exciting 00:09:51.042 --> 00:09:54.559 because I took this topic that seemed very taboo and scary 00:09:54.583 --> 00:09:58.559 and I broke it down into a way that was accessible for young learners. 00:09:58.583 --> 00:10:00.351 However, to other people, 00:10:00.375 --> 00:10:03.559 the idea of consent is so strongly tied to sex, 00:10:03.583 --> 00:10:06.101 and sex is often considered a taboo subject, 00:10:06.125 --> 00:10:08.601 that it made them very uncomfortable. 00:10:08.625 --> 00:10:10.726 But my students are third-graders, 00:10:10.750 --> 00:10:13.393 so we're not talking about sex in class. 00:10:13.417 --> 00:10:15.184 Rather, I wanted them to understand 00:10:15.208 --> 00:10:17.559 that everybody has different physical boundaries 00:10:17.583 --> 00:10:19.476 that make them feel comfortable. 00:10:19.500 --> 00:10:22.143 And the social and emotional intelligence it takes 00:10:22.167 --> 00:10:25.059 to read somebody's words and tone and body language 00:10:25.083 --> 00:10:27.518 are skills that often need to be explicitly taught, 00:10:27.542 --> 00:10:30.851 the same way we teach things like reading and math. 00:10:30.875 --> 00:10:35.101 And this lesson is not reserved for students of one single demographic. 00:10:35.125 --> 00:10:37.316 Things like questioning and making observations 00:10:37.340 --> 00:10:38.601 and critical thinking 00:10:38.625 --> 00:10:41.143 are things that any student of any race or ethnicity 00:10:41.167 --> 00:10:46.292 or background or language or income or zip code should be learning in schools. NOTE Paragraph 00:10:47.250 --> 00:10:51.518 Also, deliberate avoidance of these conversations 00:10:51.542 --> 00:10:53.893 speaks volumes to our students 00:10:53.917 --> 00:10:58.601 because kids notice when their teachers, when their textbooks 00:10:58.625 --> 00:11:03.184 leave out the voices and experiences of people like women or people of color. 00:11:03.208 --> 00:11:05.750 Silence speaks volumes. NOTE Paragraph 00:11:06.625 --> 00:11:09.018 I recently asked my class of third-graders 00:11:09.042 --> 00:11:11.726 what they would say to adults who think they're too young 00:11:11.750 --> 00:11:14.351 to learn about issues of equity. 00:11:14.375 --> 00:11:19.309 And while this is a small sample of my 25 students, 00:11:19.333 --> 00:11:20.601 all of them agreed 00:11:20.625 --> 00:11:23.893 that not only are they capable of having these conversations, 00:11:23.917 --> 00:11:29.559 but they view it, the right to learn it, as a right and not as a privilege. 00:11:29.583 --> 00:11:31.893 And, in their words: 00:11:31.917 --> 00:11:34.059 "We're big enough to know about these things 00:11:34.083 --> 00:11:36.934 because these problems are happening where we live. 00:11:36.958 --> 00:11:39.059 And we have the right to talk about them 00:11:39.083 --> 00:11:42.393 because it will be our life in the future." NOTE Paragraph 00:11:42.417 --> 00:11:43.684 Thank you. NOTE Paragraph 00:11:43.708 --> 00:11:48.250 (Applause)