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A relative once asked me for help to prepare for an upcoming meeting she had with administrators at her child's school. Her child is Black and the school is predominantly white. As a parent, she had some concerns about whether her child was being treated differently because of their race.
I told her that I would get back to her after I'd given it some thought. I had to dig into my experience as a former 6th grade teacher and middle school principal to give a thoughtful answer.
I was an educator before the Black Lives Matter movement and long before the racial justice uprisings of 2020 made racism an unavoidable topic for the general public.
But I've been Black my whole life and over 95 percent of the kids at the school where I taught were Black. So I had often pondered how to instill a sense of dignity in our students and promote equity on a school-wide basis. Thankfully, our teachers and staff members were committed to the same.
While we were far from creating some racially just utopia, our attempt to improve gave me insight into what to look for in a school that was committed to antiracist practices.
I sent a text message back to my relative with some questions she should ask leaders at her child's school. What I expected to be just a couple of queries ballooned into a much longer list--one that might be helpful for other parents, guardians, and caregivers.
Here are eight questions you can ask to determine if a school is antiracist.
How and where does the curriculum specifically address Black history, Native American history, and the histories of other people of color?
Every state has standards that all schools are required to teach. School teachers use those standards as a guide for constructing unit plans, lesson plans, and assessments. Adults should know, in general, when and how the histories of specific people groups show up in the state standards, or if they even appear at all.
What training do teachers receive on culturally responsive teaching and working with racial and ethnic minority students and families?
Every school and district offers professional development. Many teachers respond to these trainings with a groan. Like professional development at any job, these sessions often seem irrelevant, boring, and feel like a waste of time. But professional development can address important topics that might not receive much attention otherwise.
Ask your local school or district leaders what kind of training they provide to teachers on how to talk about racially sensitive topics, how to be response to the various racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds of their students, and how to create an inclusive classroom where everyone feels like they have a place.
Are there written protocols and guidelines for addressing hate speech and racist incidents (including cyberbullying) at the school?
Students and parents seldom think about the school handbook unless there's a problem--issues with uniforms, grading policies, procedures for dismissal. What if there's a problem with racism at the school?
Does your student's school have written guidelines specifically for addressing issues of racism such as hate speech and bullying? Do you know what those guidelines are?
It helps to know beforehand what avenues are available when racism is a problem at the school, and if there are no specific policies concerning racism, then to help put them in place.
What is the racial and ethnic composition of the school board, faculty, staff, support staff?
Representation is not just about presence, it's about perspective. Most people would agree that it is important to have parents, guardians, or caregivers included on any body that makes decisions for children. That's because the people who take care of the students have valuable insights that can help a school’s leaders make better decisions.
In the same way, it is crucial to have people of various races and ethnicities represented on faculty, staff, decision-making bodies for schools. Their differing perspectives can help craft a more inclusive and responsive culture at the building and classroom levels.
What is the retention rate and tenure of racial and ethnic minority faculty and staff compared to their white peers?
A lot of staff turnover is bad sign in any organization, and if Black employees and other employees of color are leaving at a high rate you can almost be sure a school is lacking in its antiracist practices.
Inquire not only about general staff retention from year-to-year, but also find out if there's a higher churn rate for people of color.
Has the school considered hiring racial and ethnic minorities in clusters instead of one or two at a time?
Typically, when an organization wants more racial and ethnic diversity on staff they try to fill one position at a time. This can be a lot of pressure if you are hired, but you are the only or one of the only people of color on staff.
Many colleges and universities have committed to hiring not just one Black person, but a cluster of new employees who are well-qualified and racially and ethnically diverse.
Hiring in clusters obviously takes a financial commitment, but with the advantages that accrue to all students, including white students, from having teachers of different racial and ethnic backgrounds, the benefit is well worth the cost. Ask how your local school or district plans to recruit, hire, and retain more educators of color.
Do you track academic data by racial and ethnic demographics? How are Black students and students of color doing in relation to white students?
Data such as standardized test scores are often reported in the aggregate at a school or district level. For instance, 71 percent of students in 6th grade score at or above the "proficient" level in reading. But these general numbers may obscure differing academic outcomes for Black students and other students of color.
If there are a sufficient number of students in any particular racial or ethnic group such that anonymity for those students can be maintained, then it is important to analyze whether students of color and white students are achieving at similar rates.
If not, then such disparities could indicate a bias in grading or a need to adapt teaching and assessment methods to more accurately demonstrate learning.
Does the school track discipline, suspensions, and expulsions by race and ethnicity? How do those data compare across demographics?
Research has shown that Black girls and boys are disciplined--including suspensions, expulsions, and other forms of punishment--at higher rates than their white peers.
Do leaders at your local school track disciplinary data by race?
If staff and teachers are not paying attention to who gets disciplined, how frequently, and how harshly, then they may be perpetuating a more punitive system for students of color.
Regardless of where you send your kids to school or even if you have kids at all, you can ensure that your local schools are employing antiracist practices that ensure a safe learning environment for all by asking the right questions.
If you want to learn more, be sure to check out How to Fight Racism Young Readers Edition.
What other questions or suggestions do you have about how schools can be more racially just?
8 Questions to Ask to See if Your Child's School Is Antiracist