Reply to DD experienced racism in the classroom. How to handle.

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]OP here. Thanks for all of the great feedback.

My daughter is naturally an introvert wall-flower type. She avoids confrontation, so addressing this in that moment would not have happened. She's 18, so I don't expect her to react as I would when faced with racist remarks. Indeed, this year has been a learning experience for her. She's now taking the attitude that she doesn't want to befriend white people because she thinks they secretively feel this way about her and I don't want that. I want her to have diversity in her friends, but this year seems to be having the opposite effect.

I will speak with her and really push for her to contact the Professor during office hours and express her concerns. I would greatly  prefer she address it in class, but I know that her personality won't allow it. I will ask that she consider  it, though. I agree that this is a learning  moment for her and I'd prefer that she resolve this on her own, but if she'd rather drop it, I may step in and email the Dean. [/quote]

OP, I'm the PP from early in the thread, who asked for the context of the comments.  (Did you get any more details?  Also has your DD talked to any of her classmates?)  Maybe it goes without saying, but if you were to email the Dean, you'd be relaying third-hand information.

I would not be disappointed at your DD going to office hours rather than speaking up in class.  If your DD were to go to the prof's office hours, she could have a conversation about what happened in class that day.  They could discuss where the student's comment came from, why people reacted as they did, your DD's opinion, how that relates to the topic of the course, how it impacted her experience in the class, how it impacted her thoughts.  Point of view is a theme in all English classes.  Race, gender, people who make as#*(!@ comments, all the rest.  This is the sort of conversation that your DD should be having.  If you ever read any John Dewey (he was an American philosopher who wrote about educational reform) you'll find discussion of  "rich" educational experiences.  The conversation with the prof could be that.[/quote]

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