Local educational and community leaders participated in a virtual panel discussion about racism, how it impacts student performance and how to address the issue.

The theme of the April 22 online discussion was “Black and Brown Excellence in the Classroom: Exploring Bridges and Barriers to Success.”

Panelists for this conversation included:

• Brandon E. Martin,D., UMKC vice chancellor/director of athletics
• Edgar J. Palacios, president and CEO of the Latinx Education Collaborative
• Loyce Caruthers, Ph.D., professor of educational leadership, policy and foundations at UMKC
• Lauren Sanchez, program director at Kauffman Scholars, Inc.

Moderators were Gary O’Bannon, executive-in-residence, Henry W. Bloch School of Management; and Adriana Suarez, a sophomore student at UMKC.

The Critical Conversations series, hosted by the UMKC Division of Diversity and Inclusion, addresses systemic racism in the United States. UMKC people are taking thoughtful action on campus and in our community to ensure lasting and comprehensive reform through Roos Advocate for Community Change, a campus-wide effort announced in June 2020 following the death of George Floyd.

The goal of each discussion is to enlighten, educate and explore the causes and potential cures for racism. Further, the university will strive to share actionable steps that can be used to improve racial interactions in the broader community. For more information, please email umkcchancellor@umkc.edu.

Excerpts from the conversation are below.

Harmful assumptions about students of color often made in schools

Sanchez: There are assumptions made about time, such as if you’re not early, then you’re late. If you can’t meet deadlines, then you’re lazy. These beliefs assume that everyone is coming from the same level of experiences, when in fact, students of color are more likely to be working jobs in addition to going to school in order to help support their families.

Change has to happen at the system level and at the school level, but it ultimately comes down to that individual classroom teacher. If you’re starting to notice that a student is not on track, you need to communicate with them and find out how to support them.

Systematic issues in education that impede success for students of color

Martin: The system is not designed for Black and brown students to be successful. Educators have not been prepared to teach black and brown students in a way that accommodates their life experiences. A lot of these students go to school hungry. Transportation to school can often be a challenge. They deal with technology gaps in the home and trauma in their lives. These situations are not factored into the academic success conversation.

Young Black men in particular are subjected to stereotypes that cast them as violent, criminal and academically inferior. That produces anxiety, stress and anger.

Caruthers: Young Black women face stereotypes too: the mammy and the angry Black woman.

Even the language used in the system dehumanizes kids. “No child left behind” is a derogatory term. So is “minority,” “English as a second language,” “at risk.” Better language to use would be “minoritized groups,” “historically underserved” and “children of color.”

Palacios: People have to do the internal work of recognizing and understanding their biases. And that is lifelong work. People will focus on “how can we change the system?” which is such a big job it can lead to paralysis. Instead, people should approach it in terms of “How do I show up as an individual?”

The “one size fits all” approach to education

Martin: It’s not just about those on the margins. We have gifted students who are not getting what they need. It is important that we understand the individual student that we are serving. We need a more tailored approach.

Sanchez: It illustrates the difference between equality and equity. Not everyone has the same life experiences so we don’t all need the same things. Our lives are not one size fits all, so why should our interventions be one size fits all?

Caruthers: if you measure student performance only by tests, you miss a lot. We need multiple ways to assess learning.

The role of relationships

Martin: Building relationships is the critical cornerstone for advancing the education of young men of color. Educators need to establish rapport and trust so that they can leverage the assets the students are bringing and recognize the external influences on these kids.

Educators especially need to demonstrate high expectations for all students. If you have low expectations for a student, the student will perceive that as “you don’t care about me.” We need teachers to say to students, “I understand your struggle, I understand your journey.”

Sanchez: Teachers need to build that relationship of trust up front. It’s too late to try to reach a student after issues arise.

How white people can support students of color

Palacios: They need to speak up. When someone says something that isn’t quite right, that’s a great opportunity for allies to step in and start the uncomfortable conversation. When white people do that, it relieves the pressure on us, it makes us feel seen and it helps build relationships.

Sanchez: If it feels wrong, it is wrong. If it’s uncomfortable to say something about it, then you need to say something about it.

Caruthers: Know what resources are available so you can direct students to them. Teachers with culturally responsive skills need to become mentors.

You can watch the full conversation below.