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How To Talk About Racism in a Predominantly White School

Sarah Peace, principal of Mercy Academy (Louisville, Kentucky) recently shared the following message and resources with faculty at her school. With her permission we are sharing it as a resource for all Mercy educators.

I have been collecting a number of different resources to help us prepare for talking to our students about racism and inequality. Because anti-racism is a Critical Concern of the Sisters of Mercy, I think this is something we have never shied away from; but, with our current climate, I think brushing over the topic will leave students feeling like they need more. There are so many things we can all learn about the historical, social, and economic impact of 400+ years of racism, discrimination, bias and inequality that has ultimately led us to where we are today. I have had great conversations with many of you about your desire to teach from a more culturally responsive perspective. I am grateful that this is a priority for you, and I would love to support you in any way that I can. There are many more resources out there, but I hope these few are a start!

Importance of active service learning in creating long-term change: Why White Students Need Multicultural and Social Justice Education

Discussion tools on race/racial inequality with white students: How Should I Talk about Race in My Mostly White Classroom?

Implicit bias: A Look at Implicit Bias and Microaggressions

The dangers of teaching from a single lens: The danger of a single story | Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Listing of diverse books to add to your curriculum: Where to Find Diverse Books

Book: White Fragility: Why it’s so hard for white people to talk about racism 

Resources for teaching social justice: A Collection of Resources for Teaching Social Justice

My favorite site for teaching social justice: https://www.tolerance.org

Mercy Education System of the Americas: anti-racism education resources

Mercy Volunteer Corps: Critical Concern Challenge on Anti-Racism Education 

Books on racism for children: Looking for Excellent “Diverse” Books for Children? Start Here!

Teaching math through a social justice lens: Creating Student Activists through Social Justice Mathematics with Dr. Kari Kokka

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