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Hope and Outrage: A Tale of Two White Dudes

Apr 27, 2018 12:00:00 AM

by Tanesha Peeples

Outrage: Racist White Dude in Texas

So, apparently Black Kids only get into Ivy League schools to fill quotas? https://twitter.com/_littledrizzy/status/986796203584077824 It basically went something like this: Drake Johnson: Hey, world, guess what? I’m Harvard-bound next fall! George Clayton: Good for you, Drake. Did you get in because you’re smart or because Harvard was low on its stock of Black students? What. The. Fawk? I'd link you to the actual conversation on Twitter but by this point George Clayton’s account and all his tweets have been suspended. And of course George isn’t the first racist White man to disgrace humanity (or social media) with his ignorance. So it's hardly shocking. But here's why George Clayton is much more dangerous than your average racist White dude: George is a former member of the Texas State Board of Education. And if he had the unmitigated gall to publicly suggest a stellar young man was only accepted to an Ivy League school because of the color of his skin, then I’m almost positive that he didn’t check his closed mind or privilege at the boardroom door when making decisions that impacted the education of millions of students in his state.

Hope: Righteous White Dude in Philly

I got a little emotional reading this piece by Zachary Wright.
To be the best teacher I can be, to be the best advocate and ally I can be, I need to first do my own work and face the racism within.
http://gph.is/1LDPd4D See, sometimes it can be pretty damn exhausting being Black in America. The mere fact that we’re discussed all the time like we’re an everlasting case study or looked to for answers about “living while Black” can be overwhelming. And add that to growing assaults and insults we face daily because of our skin color, it’s maddening. I can’t speak for all Black people, but all I want is for skin color not to matter one day. So you have to understand that [pullquote position="right"]when I witness a White person “get woke,” it’s cause for a subtle celebration and symbolizes a nod in the right direction.[/pullquote] It’s an even bigger prize when that White person is an educator. Next to parents and peers, teachers have the greatest opportunity to make an impression on youth. But they can’t make those best impressions if their personal lens is skewed by privilege, bias and stereotypes. Zach is one of the most righteous White guys in the world. Admitting his own racism and being willing to benefit from racial bias trainings to better serve his students says so much. So yeah, I actually do have a bit of hope here, because for every George Clayton, there’s a Zachary Wright. Healing the world, one woke White educator at a time! https://educationpost.org/i-was-a-racist-teacher-and-i-didnt-even-know-it/ https://educationpost.org/some-tips-for-a-white-teacher-trying-to-stop-being-racist/
Photo courtesy of @_littledrizzy/Twitter.

Tanesha Peeples

Tanesha Peeples is driven by one question in her work—“If not me, then who?” As the former Deputy Director of Activist Development for brightbeam, Tanesha merges the worlds of communications and grassroots activism to push for change in the public education system. Her passion for community and relentless mission for justice and liberation drive her in uplifting and amplifying the voices and advocacy of those that are often ignored. Tanesha wholeheartedly believes that education is the foundation for success. Her grand vision is one where everyone—regardless of ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender or ZIP code—can have access to a comfortable quality of life and enjoy the freedoms and liberties promised to all Americans. And that's what she works towards every day.

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