Interesting article Titled,
What Can Educators do to End White Supremacy in the Classroom?
You can find it here,
http://www.maciverinstitute.com/2014/04/White-Privilege-Conf-Teacher/
Here are some choice quotes from one Kim Radersma who has written one article on a different subject for at least one denominational magazine. Radersma was quoted as saying,
“Teaching is a political act, and you can’t choose to be neutral. You are either a pawn used to perpetuate a system of oppression or you are fighting against it,” Radersma said during the session. “And if you think you are neutral, you are a pawn.”
She said educators need to challenge the system, otherwise they are giving in to white supremacy. Radersma also argued the first step is realizing that all white people are carrying the signs of oppression.
“Being a white person who does anti-racist work is like being an alcoholic. I will never be recovered by my alcoholism, to use the metaphor,” Radersma said. “I have to everyday wake up and acknowledge that I am so deeply imbedded with racist thoughts and notions and actions in my body that I have to choose everyday to do anti-racist work and think in an anti-racist way.”
She argued that until white people admit they have a problem, they will not be able to fight against white privilege.
“We’ve been raised to be good. ‘I’m a good white person,’ and yet to realize I carry within me these dark, horrible thoughts and perceptions is hard to admit. And yet like the alcoholic, what’s the first step? Admitting you have a problem,” she told the session attendees.
Multiple educators attended the breakout session of about 50 people and seemed very interested in how to bring the ideals of social justice and white privilege into the classroom. One attendee, a teacher and the diversity director at his school, spoke about the activities he is implementing and said it is important for teachers and administrators to discuss social justice with their students. Radersma echoed his sentiment.
“If you don’t want to work for equity, get the fuck out of education,” Radersma said. “If you are not serious about being an agent of change that helps stifle the oppressive systems, go find another job. Because you are a political figure.”
Elsewhere the always demur Ms. Radersma offered,
“Who’s at fault? My white body is at fault. My racial identity, as a white person who believes that I am somehow better or more deserving, is the problem. The white supremacy, the structure is the problem.”
Another topic of discussion was how white people’s actions, like donating to charity or helping a family in need, are inherently racist. Here the gentle and soft-spoken Radersma offered,
“It’s that savior mentality, like ‘save them, because they are not like us,’ and that normalization of whiteness. Whiteness is best and those poor others aren’t as good as us,” she said. “So, we need to think of them and give them our sympathy and our charity and our generosity, which is so demeaning to the people on the receiving end. It’s so demoralizing and disempowering to be receiving it.”
1.) On the first quote I would prefer to say that Teaching is a Theological act though certainly all teaching has political implications. She really is on the right track here. There is no neutrality in teaching.
2.) On Radersma comment that “all White people are carrying the signs of oppression,” as combined with how being White is like being alcoholic is perfect. If white people don’t admit they have a problem as oppressor then it proves they have a problem. Meanwhile, if white people do admit they have a problem as oppressor it proves they have a problem. How convenient.
3.) I love it when a lady teacher swears. It is so feminine.
4.) Not only is being white itself racist but being white and helping people is even more racist. So, if you don’t help people, I’m pretty sure that is racist. However, if you do help people, that proves you’re racist also.
5.) Obviously Ms. Radersma has fallen prey to the self hatred and false guilt mongering that is so typical among whites who have fallen victim to Cultural Marxism.
6.) Keep in mind that 50 teachers attended Ms. Radersma session. How many of them will drink the kool-aid and take this poison back to their classrooms?
Well, how about all those self-loathing whites in Madison hanging themselves?
Andrea,
Do you have a link for that or am I missing a joke?
As I read this, I was thinking about Total Depravity and also inescapable categories. In every worldview, there is a need for a Savior, man must be delivered from something. In Biblical Christianity man must be delivered from his sin and sin nature, in worldviews branching off from Pelagianism man must be delivered from his environment, and according to Kim Radersma’s worldview white man must be delivered from himself and his racist thoughts. Every worldview unavoidably has its own law, therefore its own sins that result from breaking that law, and its own idea for how we can be delivered from these sins. Following these threads far enough back, one can learn who or what is being worshiped by who making the law as well as who is stepping in as the savior. I suppose Radersma’s god is either man himself, because he must deliver himself from racist thoughts, or perhaps the state, who needs to take on the responsibility through education to open each sinner’s eyes to his need for deliverance.
Excellent Aimee.