The White Educators’ Guide to Equity

Description

In the United States, community colleges are some of the most racially diverse institutions of higher education. And, as such, as argued in Minding the Obligation Gap in Community Colleges and Beyond (Sims et al., 2020), they are uniquely positioned to function as disruptive technologies, that is, spaces that disrupt institutionalized educational inequity. Pedagogy and curriculum must be liberatory if we hope to engender educational equity precisely because nationwide the majority of community college students are students of color and the majority of African American and Latinx college students start their journeys at a community college. The community college professorate is the inverse, as three-quarters of all college professors are white. These demographics create a cultural schism that is preventing students of color and other minoritized groups from reaching their full intellectual and creative potential. This book fills a gap in the academic literature on how community college educators can more effectively serve their diverse students, from interrogating their own white racial identity, to overhauling their curricula and pedagogy, and later by committing to radical love as praxis. While this book's title explicitly calls on white educators, ultimately, it is for any educator who seeks to dismantle classroom power structures and who strives to create nurturing, justice-advancing curricula. "The White Educators' Guide to Equity is a vital contribution to the literature on how to create racial equity in college settings--and, importantly, in the setting of community colleges, where such work is more important than ever, but often ignored. A must-read for all educators, but particularly those in community colleges looking to transform their institutions." --Tim Wise, Author, White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son "Given the disproportionate number of white faculty in the community system in comparison to the student population, this book is essential in providing the necessary guidance and tools that will allow white teachers to effectively teach students of color. Moreover, this text recognizes that if the community system is going to improve outcomes for students of color that white faculty have obligation to be equipped to have greater understanding of race and racism that would impact what and how they teach."--Edward Bush, President, Cosumnes River College "Improving outcomes for community college students begins with improving one's understanding of race and racism. The first-person perspective of engaging in anti-racist work in this book calls to our core values as community college educators. This book provides guidance, evokes critical self-reflection, and highlights practical tools to effectively educate historically minoritized students, especially for an educational system whose teaching faculty is predominantly white."--Angelica Garcia, President, Berkeley City College Cover HalfTitle Series Page Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Table of Contents Acknowledgments Editor’s Note Introduction by Jeremiah J. Sims Part One: Laying the groundwork Jumping in feet first White Supremacy and Racialized Capitalism What’s Height Got To Do with It? We Have To Take a Systems Approach Reimagining the Pool Why “a Guide”? Educational Equity in Community Colleges Why all the Fuss? Critical Race Theory and White Guilt It was Never Just About Race: Racialized Capitalism and White Supremacy 2020 – Reflecting on the Longest Year The Trial of the Century: Fighting for the Soul of Democracy Truth Be Told: Capitalism has Always Been Racialized The Half has not Been Told: The Afterlife of Chattel Slavery Part Two: Love is what justice looks like in public… – Prof. Cornel West Only the Truth with Set Us Free: Baldwin and King, Jr. We Must be Motivated by Love Getting Ready: The Difference Between a Growth Mindset and an Antiracist Growth Mindset We Have to Walk the Talk: The Antiracist Growth Mindset Personal Note A Word on Redesigning College Redesign Our Students are Drowning: We Can Be Lifelines Our Budgets are Our Value Statements: Equitable Resource Allocation Time to Get to Work This Old House: Uncovering the Racist Foundation this Country was Founded On What is Critical Pedagogy Freire and the Pedagogy of the Oppressed Applying Freire Making the Case for Critical Reality Pedagogy The Importance of Equitable Educational Spaces We Have to Account for Our Privilege: Self-Actualization and Critical Pedagogy You Were Built for Such a Time as This! It is the Job of the Conscious to make the Unconscious Conscious, Kwame Ture and Hamilton (1992). 1 Introduction a. Why Race?: “The Canary in the Coal Mine” b. Racism: Defined c. Practicum: The Language of Equity d. Grassroots Equity and the Problem with National Initiatives e. Overview of this Book f. The Organization of this Book g. The Power to Disrupt h. Chapter 1 Synopsis and Questions to Consider Part I: Looking Within 2 Looking in the Mirror a. The Problem with Colorblindness b. Privilege and the Invisibility of Whiteness c. The Foundations of White Supremacy d. Chapter 2 Synopsis and Questions to Consider e. Notes 3 Antiracism for Community College Educators a. What is Antiracism? b. A Call for Antiracist Educators c. Practicum: Antiracist Reflective Praxis – Reflection and Metacognition Step 1: Identification and Acknowledgment of Racist Beliefs and Actions Step 2: Understand where this Belief/Action Came From Step 3: Deconstruct the Racist Ideas Step 4: Antiracist Action d. Keep on Keepin’ on e. Chapter 3 Synopsis and Questions to Consider Part II: Looking Beyond the Self 4 Stories from the Other Side of Racism a. An Introduction to Critical Race Theory b. Critical Race Theory in Education c. White Supremacy in Community Colleges d. The Dominant Narrative about Students of Color e. Counterstories of Struggle and Campus Climate f. The Importance of Counterstories: Challenging the Dominant Narrative g. Educational Equity h. Practicum: Social Justice and Disrupting the Status Quo i. Chapter 4 Synopsis and Questions for Consideration 5 Taking it Back to the Classroom: Equity and Pedagogy a. Critical Pedagogy b. Culturally (Fill In the Blank) Pedagogy: Navigating Educational Theory and Research c. Practicum: Facilitating Sensitive Classroom Conversations d. Practicum: You’re Not a Therapist...but You Are a Navigator e. Practicum: The Syllabus and Course Policies f. Conclusion g. Chapter 5 Synopsis and Questions to Consider 6 The People’s Curriculum a. “Official Knowledge”: Structural Determinism and the Perpetuation of White Supremacy b. The “Triple Helix Dilemma” and Community College Curricula c. Practicum: “The People’s History”: Revising the Curriculum d. Practicum: “Folktales and Ethnic Foods” – Rejecting Tokenism and Embracing True Multiculturalism e. Practicum: Broader Considerations for Equity-Centered Curricula f. Chapter 6 Synopsis and Questions to Consider 7 The Time for Action is Now a. Practicum: Self-care for Antiracist Educators b. Practicum: Radical Compassion c. Chapter 7 Synopsis and Questions to Consider The Epilogue: Love as Praxis by Jeremiah J. Sims The Context Love as Praxis: The Initiative in Diversity, Equity, Antiracism & Leadership (IDEAL) Snapshot of IDEAL Cohort One The IDEAL Approach Students Don’t Care About What You Know Until They Know That You Care... Relationships The Beloved Community: IDEAL What, if anything, was different about IDEAL vis-à-vis other justice-centered programs you have participated in? What Do You Feel was the Main Strength of This Program (IDEAL)? Would You Recommend This Program to a Friend? Which Topic Covered, This Semester, was Most Eye-Opening? Lessons Learned In Conclusion Appendix A: Index of Practicums References Student Learning Outcomes Course Prerequisites Books and Materials Required Recommended Educational Equity at College of San Mateo CSM Student Support Services Title IX Policy Addressing Sexual Misconduct, Harassment, and Assault Grading Policies Participation and Homework Late Policy Essays Peer Response Revisions Plagiarism Final Grade Self-Assessment and End of Semester Portfolio Overview Self-Assessment Final Portfolio Disclaimer Appendix B: Sample Syllabus Appendix C: Classroom Norms