Challenging “Colorblindness”

Racial injustices in America and around the world show the increasing inequalities which simply cannot go unnoticed or ignored anymore. I am routinely floored by people when they are presented with visual and factual information of historically preserved inequities and yet, somehow, still believe that racism doesn’t exist in the world and how some contribute and benefit from the system.

Colorblind ideology focuses on the idea that race does not play a role in social, economic, and academic outcome. This failed notion of colorblindness undercuts real learning in understanding equity, antiracism, and cultural competency. Those people who still use colorblindness in their ideology dismiss individual or structural racism. They also blame problems in society not on racism, but on racist and stereotypical character attributes. Believing in colorblindness normalizes inequalities and denies the long term detrimental effects of systemic racism on society. We are all hurt under systemic racism.

Many people in education from admin, to teachers, to parents who harbor colorblindness ideology inadvertently steer conversations away from addressing racial issues and preserve the culture of white supremacy.

Here are some tips:

Do not tell people to leave race out of it. This comes from a position of white privilege. Students of color face discrimination every day in schools and do not get to separate their race in conversations. Until systemic change happens, educators need to learn more about racism, not less.

Don’t dismiss the Black Lives Matter movement. This minimizes the trauma that Black people in America face on a daily basis with some law enforcement.

Don’t dismiss student achievement based on race. Academic outcomes correlate with systemic racism. Black students have higher percentage of being in serious trouble at school. These same students may also be faced with teachers with racial bias or discrimination.

These are all common issues from educators who perpetuate and participate in colorblind racism. Instead of being colorblind, try switching gears and be more self aware. Try to figure out your implicit bias and analyze them. If you don’t know what implicit bias you harbor, you can take a test. Pay special attention to your biases when you’re stressed, as that’s when it is more likely to appear. Try to imagine you’re someone else—consider ideas from the perspective of a Black person who encounters discrimination and stereotyping on a regular basis.

Educators should strive to learn more about racism to improve every child’s academic and economic future and to understand the effects of systemic racism. Ask for your professional development to focus on equity, antiracism, and cultural competency. Teachers should welcome these learning opportunities to deepen our ability to confront racism and grow equity.