The Other Elephant in the (Class)Room: White Liberalism and the Persistence of Racism in Education (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780807768839)

Purposeful, intentional racial bias poses an obvious threat to the possibility of real equity in schools. In this volume, antiracist educators explore an equally troubling, but insufficiently explored threat: the racism upheld by schools and districts that claim an antiracist commitment. These institutions perpetuate disparities by enacting that commitment through surface-level and soft diversity and inclusion goals and popular initiatives that are more equity optics than antiracism. This book asks: How is racism perpetuated through actions, programs, practices, and initiatives that might appear to be inclusion-oriented or "progressive," but never quite get around to eliminating racism? How do these efforts pose as racial equity while protecting systems of advantage and disadvantage--creating a sort of equity inertia? The book then asks: What would antiracism look like if we enacted a deeper antiracist approach? What is a truer vision for racial equity? Diverse authors apply these questions to an equally diverse assortment of programs and practices, such as trauma-informed care, social-emotional learning, restorative practices, anti-bias work in early childhood education, Montessori schooling, "inclusive" social studies curricula, and toxic positivity and "niceness" as stand-ins for racial equity.

Book Features:

• Illustrates how K-12 educators can adopt more authentically justice-oriented approaches to antiracism.
• Draws on existing theoretical frameworks such as critical race theory, critical whiteness studies, culturally sustaining pedagogies, and equity literacy.
• Examines concepts such as white fragility, racial battle fatigue, white privilege, and interest convergence.
• Includes a range of authors, from racial justice scholars to classroom teachers.
• Offers an engaging and accessible format that combines narrative with theoretical grounding, bridging critical analysis to visions for moving forward.