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Cultural Identity Is Crucial. How to Spot It in Your Child’s Classroom and What to Do About It If It’s Not There [the74million.org]

 

There are few things in life that are certain when you become a parent — infants teach us the true value of a whisper; guilt, panic, and worrying automatically go into overdrive every day for the rest of your life; and we have never wanted the world to be a better place as much as we do as parents.

However, as a mother of two black males, numbers 2 and 3 on the list of parental certainties have a distinct meaning for me, my life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for my children. In Washington, D.C., where I live, I often find myself joining other parents seeking the best schools, the best neighborhoods, and the best opportunities for my children. And in doing so, unfortunately, I also find that I am almost forced to ask those extra questions of “How will this opportunity, place, or person impact my children’s cultural identity? Will examples or samples that look like my children show up in the learning and/or experiences? If so, how? And is this culturally affirming?”

I can imagine that other parents of color probably ask themselves similar questions for their children when it’s clear that our kids will be the minorities of the group — in numbers only. I have to add my personal disclaimer here that I abhor the word “minority.”

[For more on this story by TANZI WEST BARBOUR, go to https://www.the74million.org/a...9e1d7d578a-176333489]

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