Embracing and Celebrating Diversity in Our Schools

cc photo and quote by J. Delp

It has been a challenging week in America. Recent events in Baton Rouge, Minnesota, and Dallas have been deeply disturbing and these tragedies have me reflecting on the role that our education system plays in preparing young people to interact with others with respect, appropriate consideration, and empathy. 

First, let me say that I am FAR from being an expert on racial issues, or diversity. I grew up in a very small town with limited exposure to other races and cultures. It wasn't until I began my career in education that I really began to consider how our unique experiences (based upon race, culture, family-life, and socioeconomic status) impact our perceptions, education, and daily lives. We all bring our own "experience" bias to our work, socialization, and interactions with others. It is important that we each recognize that our reality is likely much different than that of others we encounter.

Based upon my observations and experiences over seventeen years, most people express a recognition of the value of diversity in education, however, living out this belief continues to be a challenge. Many of our schools remain sharply divided among racial and socioeconomic lines. While a majority of people may believe in the value of diversity, an examination of many of our schools suggests that we typically want our kids in an environment where they are surrounded by familiarity -- including kids who look and act like them. This is simply an observation, not a judgment. 

So how do educational professionals go about effectively recognizing and supporting the diversity in their schools and in their communities? As with the issues we see in our world, change for good is challenging and there are rarely easy solutions. While, as individuals, we may not be able to address all of the root causes of racism, hate, divisiveness, and violence seen in our society we are capable of making a positive difference in our school communities through thoughtful and deliberate actions aimed at recognizing school diversity, celebrating our differences as strengths, and taking steps to ensure that our students receive academic and social supports based upon individual needs. Here are a few ideas:

• Don't be colorblind. As educators, we need to embrace and celebrate the diversity in our schools, not diminish, or attempt to hide it. We should do all that we can to help students see that the individual circumstances of our lives are what make us unique and that this vast array of experiences strengthens our community. We can learn from one another. This can be modeled in our daily interactions and communication with kids, but we should also give ample opportunities for students to talk about themselves, incorporate their interests into projects and school work, and share life experiences from their perspective. Providing these opportunities will not only help students develop an appreciation for differences, it will highlight similarities, help kids develop empathy, and foster stronger peer to peer relationships. 

• Review the data. In education, we are used to looking at student data in an effort to improve academic performance, but we also need to analyze school discipline, attendance, and other available "social" data for disparities that occur along racial, or socioeconomic lines. This can be extremely challenging. An honest look at data may be somewhat convicting, especially if it is seen that a specific segment of the student population is more susceptible to disciplinary action, failing grades, truancy, etc.  But, positive change doesn't come by asking easy questions. If the numbers are not in line with what would be expected for an individual school population, we need to dig deeper and search out the root cause of the disparity and potential solutions. 

• Foster relationships. Staff to student, and peer to peer relationships are a critical component to helping our students feel safe, supported, and part of the school community -- regardless of their individual circumstances. Investing in opportunities to build relationships with our students, mentor kids, and provide time for peer interaction will pay huge dividends when it comes to how kids learn to treat others. They need role models, and they need time to practice. Accepting differences isn't always easy, but when you really get to know someone, when you develop a relationship, it becomes much easier to treat them with grace and dignity, and much harder to be rude and disrespectful.  

• Create a broad support network. Staff members should recognize that their role as members of the school community goes beyond teaching, or coaching, or monitoring attendance, or counseling, or cleaning the school. Encourage, and provide avenues, for ALL staff members to commit to doing everything possible (using every available resource) to ensure that we are meeting the social, emotional, and academic needs of students. If their is an issue, work together to arrive at a solution. This kind of collaboration among diverse stakeholders models the type of interaction we want kids to adopt and maintain.

• Hire with diversity in mind. For those of you who are school administrators, do your best to hire a faculty that is reflective of the diversity in your school and community. This can be challenging due to a limited pool of candidates, but our students need to see that diverse experiences are valued by the adults in their lives. This is also a way to encourage students from racial, socioeconomic, or other minorities to consider teaching as a profession. As educators, we need to encourage and support diverse teacher candidates. We can also call upon members of our community to share in our schools and classrooms and highlight the diversity in our neighborhoods.

I am not sure how we prevent tragedies of the nature of those that occurred this past week, but I am confident that we can foster educational environments that value diversity and I am certain that our students will play a crucial role in the development of an empathetic and just society. Let's help them lead the way.