I have been trying to personalize the issue of racism. Like many, I assume, I don\u2019t see that I am racist in the sense that a racist is a \u201cbad person\u201d who uses derogatory labels, avoids interaction, or overtly mistreats others. I understand the issue of my own life opportunities are not the opportunities that have been available to others. For the most part, I have had plenty of advantages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I don\u2019t tend to think about being white as part of my identity. I am of a race, but being what I am in this way does not occur to me. This seems to be an issue raised by some of other races. Is the fact that I don\u2019t think about my race the issue? Is it more accurately described as I don\u2019t have to, but others do? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I am aware that I am male and others are not. I am aware that I am old and others are not. I am aware that others are from a race other than my own, but I don\u2019t tend to clearly see myself as part of a racial group. Weird. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
What then? I have identified an example of my own bias that I will explain here. It is not a serious matter, but it does speak to what may be a broader issue. This broader has to do with a reluctance to accept racism per se. It seems likely I sanitize the problem to some extent by thinking in terms of correlated problems I find easier to understand and address. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
People who know me know that with my wife I write textbooks for future and practicing educators. These books are focused on the role of technology in education. Our book with the most revisions has always ended with a chapter on \u201cresponsible behavior\u201d in the use of technology in education. Among the topics are copyright, cyber bullying, and differences in the involvement of males and females in computer science. Educator sensitivity to equity issues associated with technology are included. There are some significant issues and our present attempts to use technology during the pandemic have increased awareness of some inequities. Not all students have the devices and home internet access necessary to keep up with their classmates. Districts try to provide for these disadvantages, but lack of resources has resulted in limited success. Related differences might involve other circumstances in the home not easily remedied with loaned equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What does this have to do with my personal willingness to shy away from the issue of racial inequity? I am aware of the statistics, but I have been reluctance to write about these differences. I write about how inequity is related to income differences and have been satisfied with this weak attempt to discuss this problem. Why? This may seem a rather strange example, but I do think it important to examine personal behavior at this time and this example was there. I think I avoid describing the racial inequities in the educational use of technology, but I didn\u2019t know what I should say after identifying the issue. With SES differences I can argue that communities or the government through use of programs such as the e-rate should offer subsidies to lessen differences across schools differing in the income levels of the families served. Taking this position is logical and practical. How do you explain differences in the opportunity to use technology that is somehow related to the color of your skin? Maybe just identifying this failure of logic would be a place to start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
BTW – the insights I express here are my own, but as I puzzled over this post for a couple of days, I started reading a book recommended by a family member – White fragility. If you have read this book, you have probably noted how my thinking mimics many of the thoughts addressed by the author.<\/p>\n