Common Ground in the Debate Over Teaching Kids About Race in School

The debate over how race – and America’s history with racism – should be taught in schools has come to feel black and white: you’re either for it or against it. But race isn’t black and white, and neither is the issue of how to teach kids about race in schools. In this episode of the podcast, we’ll hear from two mothers and a teacher with especially complicated views on when it’s helpful to talk about race with kids – and when it can do more harm than good. While their views on CRT and teaching the history of slavery differ, both mothers would like to be able to trust teachers to navigate race-related topics in a way that leaves all children feeling affirmed, not ashamed. And teachers need trust from parents to navigate the issue successfully. Is it possible our deep divide over teaching kids about race is not a question of curriculum, but rather of trust? Podcast Guests: LaShawn C. Williams, mother of three, licensed clinical social worker and full-time faculty at Salt Lake Community College Brooke Stephens, mother of four, curriculum director for Utah Parents United Jenna Chandler-Ward, educator, co-founder of Teaching While White, co-author of “Learning and Teaching While White.”