In Part II of this series, we will take a look at explicit and implicit biases that may perpetuate the predictability of who succeeds and fails.  This will be an inward look at outward manifestations of what we believe are best practices.  Really asking "Is the way I enter into the classroom or in the school building having a negative impact on student outcomes?"  The foundation of this analysis is coming from Critical Race Theory (CRT). CRT has its foundation in law as folks began to question how a system steeped in racism could ever work fairly for all. It pushes us to call out standard practices that negatively impact children of color.

 

According to Delgado and Stefanic (2001), the basic tenets of CRT are:

1. Racism is common.   
2. Racism is difficult to cure or address because it is common and is used as a means to uphold the interest of white elites and working class people. 
3. Race and races are products of social thought and relations. 
4. Differential racialization is an occurrence where societies racialize minority groups at different times for different purposes. Groups are used and portrayed to fit the needs of the dominant society. In addition the reality of the human intersectionality is often dismissed. Humans do not have one identity.   
5. Counter-narrative/"legal storytelling" is important to the discussion of people of color. People of color have a unique voice and their perspective on race and experiences with racism come with a certain status. They have lived experiences and these stories are important to the understanding of race and racism.  

What does CRT have to do with leadership and literacy? It offers a framework for analyzing how we show up each day through the lens of race. By examining the "race effects" of school practices, policies, and structure (Lynn, 2006), we can potentially uncover the deleterious effects of education on Black and Brown children's literacy achievement and experiences in schools. Moreover, we can look to see the extent to which our policy, procedures, and practices are creating predictability of who succeeds and who fails at literacy.

 

As you examine your leadership/teaching ask yourself:

Write out the answers to these questions and others that may come up so you can always go back and be honest about your leadership and how you show up in your school/classrooms. You have to put in intentional effort to look inward to discover our own biases because racism is so hard to address. To do this work you will have to lead with your heart and your head. You will have to stand in a position of vulnerability and truth. You will have to ask HOW do I teach and lead. Do not start this work outwardly until you start with yourself. This work can be very painful. Prepare yourself for anger, sadness, and tears. But don't be afraid to start.

 

Examine the policies, procedures, and school practices that you are being asked to implement and determine if they are hindering the literacy development of our children. Until we do this, we are saying that we accept the predictability of who succeeds and who fails and this is no longer acceptable.

 

In the final part of this series, you will hear from people who help school leaders and teachers look at equity and from individuals who are looking at literacy through the lens of race.

 

References

 

Delgado, R., & Stefancic, J. (2001). Critical race theory: An introduction. New York: New York University Press.

 

Lynn, M. (2006). Race, culture, and the education of African Americans. Educational Theory, 56(1), 107-118 .

 

Resources