Why are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria: valuable for PD etc or is there better

[Anonymous]

Was interested in suggested reading on for lack of better terms, pop psychology of racial identity development in adolescents. Anybody read this book? Would you suggest it? Something better? Anything to avoid for discussions with staff or among parents, etc.?

[Anonymous]

Just avoid the idea that there’s a monolithic black experience and you should be fine. More minor cultural experiences aside, DH grew up in the rural Deep South and I grew up in inner city Baltimore. Our experiences of school were very different.

[Anonymous]

The bookis not pop psychology but a serious scholarly work written by Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum--she is also a former college president. It is often required reading by teacher education programs. Dr. Tatum is an excellent writer and it is suitable for a lay person/non educator in terms of accessibility. It is a great read! I strongly recommend it!

[Anonymous]

If you are using this for a teacher PD they probably have already read it. Who is your PD for exactly?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The bookis not pop psychology but a serious scholarly work written by Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum--she is also a former college president. It is often required reading by teacher education programs. Dr. Tatum is an excellent writer and it is suitable for a lay person/non educator in terms of accessibility. It is a great read! I strongly recommend it!

Dr. Tatum is awesome. A really great book OP.

[Anonymous]

So why do they?

[Anonymous]

What's the racial makeup of your school staff and students?

I love that people are taking conscious steps to be aware of these situations, but it's redundant when half the staff is black. It's awkward when the facilitator is white. And it's annoying when we're asked to chime in as experts.
"You're a victim of this. What's it like to be black?"
"Oh, it's terrible. Let me tell you..."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What's the racial makeup of your school staff and students?

I love that people are taking conscious steps to be aware of these situations, but it's redundant when half the staff is black. It's awkward when the facilitator is white. And it's annoying when we're asked to chime in as experts.
"You're a victim of this. What's it like to be black?"
"Oh, it's terrible. Let me tell you..."

Inherent bias training is better and is applicable even if your staff is nearly 100% AA since even people of color have inherent biases. The past two years have helped me root out a lot of my own biases.
—AA teacher

[Anonymous]

people of similar backgrounds group together, race/class/religion/politics etc it's completely normal and expected

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:people of similar backgrounds group together, race/class/religion/politics etc it's completely normal and expected

Maybe, but in predominantly white institutions, it is pathologized when students of color do it. I recall that table as a safe space where I could talk about any number of topics ranging from personal to political without having to provide a primer on being black in America or worry that my problem or views were regarded as representative of all AAs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just avoid the idea that there’s a monolithic black experience and you should be fine. More minor cultural experiences aside, DH grew up in the rural Deep South and I grew up in inner city Baltimore. Our experiences of school were very different.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:people of similar backgrounds group together, race/class/religion/politics etc it's completely normal and expected

Maybe, but in predominantly white institutions, it is pathologized when students of color do it. I recall that table as a safe space where I could talk about any number of topics ranging from personal to political without having to provide a primer on being black in America or worry that my problem or views were regarded as representative of all AAs.

X100.

[Anonymous]

This book is great and has been around for a long time now. It depends on your audience as to whether its meaningful now. If they're already woke, then no. If they're not, then probably.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:people of similar backgrounds group together, race/class/religion/politics etc it's completely normal and expected

Are they though, particularly in this area? This has not been either of my kids experiences in school or among their friends outside of school at all. They are in high school and have never had a group of friends with a predominant racial profile.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:people of similar backgrounds group together, race/class/religion/politics etc it's completely normal and expected

Are they though, particularly in this area? This has not been either of my kids experiences in school or among their friends outside of school at all. They are in high school and have never had a group of friends with a predominant racial profile.

In my experience when white people say that, they are exaggerating. Not on purpose. They see 2-3 non-white kids in the otherwise all-white 10-12 person friend and think “Look how diverse!” Once I went to pick up my biracial DD from a pool party. There were eight girls. Two were mixed race. The others were white girls of various hair colors. The hosting mom snapped a photo of the girls and said “It’s just like a Benneton ad.” She honestly meant it. It really looked incredibly diverse to her.