Check out my new commentary on growing up in the Lake Oswego school system. My story is far from unique and in fact, compared to others I consider myself lucky. This is happening to students of color all throughout Lake Oswego schools and institutions everywhere; in the case of low-income schools, at a warehousing level. When the system fails our children before they have a chance to fight back it fuels this new and improved Jim Crow Industrial Complex that is the school to prison pipeline.
Sometimes I wish I could apologize for the entire Caucasian population. We’re not all racist jerks, but we sure look like we are a lot of the time.
Thank you for reminding me the importance of interacting with folks based on the individual’s behavior and words, not the individual’s looks.
Bruce, Thank you for your insightful article regarding racism in LO. I am a local mom and PTO co-president of an elementary school here, and am appalled that this type of behavior still goes on here. My only exposure to the schools here being at the primary level, I was still happily ensconced in the naive bubble where my children mingle and joyfully play with their classmates, without any thought to whether they look the same as them or not. In my home, we talk about equal treatment of everyone, of acceptance, and of the injustices dealt to people of other races throughout our country’s history.
I am left with the feeling that there must be more we as parents should be doing. Would you be open to further discussion with me offline on this topic? I would be very interested in researching and developing a multicultural awareness program if needed, or augmenting one that may already exist.
Thank you again for sharing your experience.