Race among friends : exploring race at a suburban school / Marianne Modica.

"Many saw the 2008 election of Barack Obama as a sign that America had moved past the issue of race, that a colorblind society was finally within reach. But as Marianne Modica reveals in Race Among Friends, attempts to be colorblind do not end racism--in fact, ignoring race increases the likelihood that racism will occur in our schools and in society. This intriguing volume focuses on a "racially friendly" suburban charter school called Excellence Academy, highlighting the ways that students and teachers think about race and act out racial identity. Modica finds that even in an environment where students of all racial backgrounds work and play together harmoniously, race affects the daily experiences of students and teachers in profound but unexamined ways. Some teachers, she notes, feared that talking about race in the classroom would open them to charges of racism, so they avoided the topic. And rather than generate honest and constructive conversations about race, student friendships opened the door for insensitive racial comments by whites, resentment and silence by blacks, and racially biased administrative practices. In the end, the school's friendly environment did not promote--and may have hindered--serious discussion of race and racial inequity. The desire to ignore race in favor of a "colorblind society," Modica writes, has become an entrenched part of American culture. But as Race Among Friends shows, when race becomes a taboo subject, it has serious ramifications for students and teachers of all ethnic origins. "--

"Race continues to be an important factor in youth identity and a stratifying element within school environments. The desire to ignore race in favor of a "colorblind" approach has so permeated America's cultural ethos that many whites, teachers included, fear that talking about race in any capacity leaves them open to accusations of racism. As a result, race has become a taboo subject in many classrooms, with serious implications for students and teachers. Race among Friends examines the varied and complex ways students and teachers think about race as they study multicultural literature in suburban high school classrooms. This book explores how African American and white students, although friends, maintained racial boundaries and felt marginalized because of their racial background, and how white teachers made instructional choices that were influenced by misperceptions or anxiety regarding the topic of race. Through in-depth analysis, Race among Friends explores cross-racial relationships among students and teachers with the goal of creating classroom environments that encourage much needed conversations about race. Teachers, administrators, and people who care about children and youth must consider the complex ways students form racial identities and the continuing influence of race on school policies and practices, even in friendly educational settings. Race among Friends recommends ways that school administrators and teachers can facilitate broader understandings among students of how race continues to affect their educational experiences and their lives"--

Includes bibliographies and index.

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