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White and confused

by Guilty white?

Nov 9, 2012

So... I went to a conference today that I thought was going to be helpful in how to help my "indigenous" students (Native American/Hmong). I thought I was going to be given helpful tips for what specifically I can do to help these students.

But the entire day was about white privilege (which I totally "get") and how my ancestors are responsible for the hardships of today's minorities.

Now, first of all, I am extremely ashamed and embarrassed to say that my ancestors did absolutely horrid things to anyone. No one should be treated the way "we" have treated so many groups of people on so many occasions. I am as opposite as proud of these things as one can get.

And I do understand that as a white person, there are countless privileges I have. Our school has done 2 different inservices that shared lists of the privileges, and I wholeheartedly agree that the privileges are there.

Here is the thing that I struggle with, and I am just wondering if you g...See MoreSo... I went to a conference today that I thought was going to be helpful in how to help my "indigenous" students (Native American/Hmong). I thought I was going to be given helpful tips for what specifically I can do to help these students.

But the entire day was about white privilege (which I totally "get") and how my ancestors are responsible for the hardships of today's minorities.

Now, first of all, I am extremely ashamed and embarrassed to say that my ancestors did absolutely horrid things to anyone. No one should be treated the way "we" have treated so many groups of people on so many occasions. I am as opposite as proud of these things as one can get.

And I do understand that as a white person, there are countless privileges I have. Our school has done 2 different inservices that shared lists of the privileges, and I wholeheartedly agree that the privileges are there.

Here is the thing that I struggle with, and I am just wondering if you guys can help me to understand it better, particularly if you are a person of color who lives in the United States.

I am really struggling with the anger that is placed at me due to the fact that I am white. I understand the anger, but I don't understand why it is at me, today. I don't understand how I should be criticized for something that I wasn't even alive for. To put things in perspective... I was assaulted by a black man when I was 9 years old. I do not hate all black men because of this situation, and I have known and trusted black people since/despite this experience. Should I make all black men, or all men even, make amends for what this one person did? I realize that this was only one situation with one person and that these groups of people have been oppressed since the beginning of immigration to this country. But it's the same mentality. I did not oppress people. I accept and reach out to all people. I want all people to succeed.

I get that there are racist and very hateful white people out there, but is it truly the norm? I get that there are a small percentage of teachers out there who are still not teaching the truths of history. But the majority of the ones I know are very honest when dealing with historical facts. My school's 8th graders write a persuasive essay on whether or not Columbus Day should be celebrated, for example. The history teachers go through the facts of how Columbus treated Indigenous peoples and everything else that he did/didn't do based on primary sources and other studies. The majority of my colleagues make sure to go to Hmong New Year and MLK sing-outs. I really feel like we celebrate everybody.

I just feel like by "shouting at" and placing anger at all of the whites a population that there are insinuations made about me because of my race as well. I understand that it is my responsibility, as a person whose race comprises most of the powerful positions, to be sure to tell these individual groups' stories. But I don't understand how I can be held accountable. It doesn't make sense to me.

And I feel like I really work hard to fight for justice when I see injustice. I "call out" racism where and when I see it. (I'm not talking to half of my family due to this.) I spend hours and hours planning interesting, diverse lessons that incorporate media and literature from all perspectives.

So when I heard over and over again today that white teachers do not do enough to connect with our minority students, I just wanted to cry. And when I raised my hand and asked for strategies, and I was spoken to in a condescending voice, it really upset me.

Anyway, if you can help me understand this better, that would be great. And if you can give me specific strategies for what I can do in the classroom, I would be very appreciative.

Comment

(3)

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Quit going to stupid conferences. nfm On 11/09/12, Guilty white? wrote: > So... I went to a conference today that I thought was going > to be helpful in how to help my "indigenous" students > (Native American/Hmong). I thought I was going to be given > helpful tips for what specifically I can do to help these > students. > > But the entire day was about white privi...See MoreOn 11/09/12, Guilty white? wrote: > So... I went to a conference today that I thought was going > to be helpful in how to help my "indigenous" students > (Native American/Hmong). I thought I was going to be given > helpful tips for what specifically I can do to help these > students. > > But the entire day was about white privilege (which I > totally "get") and how my ancestors are responsible for the > hardships of today's minorities. > > Now, first of all, I am extremely ashamed and embarrassed > to say that my ancestors did absolutely horrid things to > anyone. No one should be treated the way "we" have treated > so many groups of people on so many occasions. I am as > opposite as proud of these things as one can get. > > And I do understand that as a white person, there are > countless privileges I have. Our school has done 2 > different inservices that shared lists of the privileges, > and I wholeheartedly agree that the privileges are there. > > Here is the thing that I struggle with, and I am just > wondering if you guys can help me to understand it better, > particularly if you are a person of color who lives in the > United States. > > I am really struggling with the anger that is placed at me > due to the fact that I am white. I understand the anger, > but I don't understand why it is at me, today. I don't > understand how I should be criticized for something that I > wasn't even alive for. To put things in perspective... I > was assaulted by a black man when I was 9 years old. I do > not hate all black men because of this situation, and I > have known and trusted black people since/despite this > experience. Should I make all black men, or all men even, > make amends for what this one person did? I realize that > this was only one situation with one person and that these > groups of people have been oppressed since the beginning of > immigration to this country. But it's the same mentality. I > did not oppress people. I accept and reach out to all > people. I want all people to succeed. > > I get that there are racist and very hateful white people > out there, but is it truly the norm? I get that there are a > small percentage of teachers out there who are still not > teaching the truths of history. But the majority of the > ones I know are very honest when dealing with historical > facts. My school's 8th graders write a persuasive essay on > whether or not Columbus Day should be celebrated, for > example. The history teachers go through the facts of how > Columbus treated Indigenous peoples and everything else > that he did/didn't do based on primary sources and other > studies. The majority of my colleagues make sure to go to > Hmong New Year and MLK sing-outs. I really feel like we > celebrate everybody. > > I just feel like by "shouting at" and placing anger at all > of the whites a population that there are insinuations made > about me because of my race as well. I understand that it > is my responsibility, as a person whose race comprises most > of the powerful positions, to be sure to tell these > individual groups' stories. But I don't understand how I > can be held accountable. It doesn't make sense to me. > > And I feel like I really work hard to fight for justice > when I see injustice. I "call out" racism where and when I > see it. (I'm not talking to half of my family due to this.) > I spend hours and hours planning interesting, diverse > lessons that incorporate media and literature from all > perspectives. > > So when I heard over and over again today that white > teachers do not do enough to connect with our minority > students, I just wanted to cry. And when I raised my hand > and asked for strategies, and I was spoken to in a > condescending voice, it really upset me. > > Anyway, if you can help me understand this better, that > would be great. And if you can give me specific strategies > for what I can do in the classroom, I would be very > appreciative.

Nov 9, 2012

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that's helpful nfm On 11/09/12, Quit going to stupid conferences. nfm wrote: > On 11/09/12, Guilty white? wrote: >> So... I went to a conference today that I thought was going >> to be helpful in how to help my "indigenous" students >> (Native American/Hmong). I thought I was going to be given >> helpful tips for what specifically I can do ...See MoreOn 11/09/12, Quit going to stupid conferences. nfm wrote: > On 11/09/12, Guilty white? wrote: >> So... I went to a conference today that I thought was going >> to be helpful in how to help my "indigenous" students >> (Native American/Hmong). I thought I was going to be given >> helpful tips for what specifically I can do to help these >> students. >> >> But the entire day was about white privilege (which I >> totally "get") and how my ancestors are responsible for the >> hardships of today's minorities. >> >> Now, first of all, I am extremely ashamed and embarrassed >> to say that my ancestors did absolutely horrid things to >> anyone. No one should be treated the way "we" have treated >> so many groups of people on so many occasions. I am as >> opposite as proud of these things as one can get. >> >> And I do understand that as a white person, there are >> countless privileges I have. Our school has done 2 >> different inservices that shared lists of the privileges, >> and I wholeheartedly agree that the privileges are there. >> >> Here is the thing that I struggle with, and I am just >> wondering if you guys can help me to understand it better, >> particularly if you are a person of color who lives in the >> United States. >> >> I am really struggling with the anger that is placed at me >> due to the fact that I am white. I understand the anger, >> but I don't understand why it is at me, today. I don't >> understand how I should be criticized for something that I >> wasn't even alive for. To put things in perspective... I >> was assaulted by a black man when I was 9 years old. I do >> not hate all black men because of this situation, and I >> have known and trusted black people since/despite this >> experience. Should I make all black men, or all men even, >> make amends for what this one person did? I realize that >> this was only one situation with one person and that these >> groups of people have been oppressed since the beginning of >> immigration to this country. But it's the same mentality. I >> did not oppress people. I accept and reach out to all >> people. I want all people to succeed. >> >> I get that there are racist and very hateful white people >> out there, but is it truly the norm? I get that there are a >> small percentage of teachers out there who are still not >> teaching the truths of history. But the majority of the >> ones I know are very honest when dealing with historical >> facts. My school's 8th graders write a persuasive essay on >> whether or not Columbus Day should be celebrated, for >> example. The history teachers go through the facts of how >> Columbus treated Indigenous peoples and everything else >> that he did/didn't do based on primary sources and other >> studies. The majority of my colleagues make sure to go to >> Hmong New Year and MLK sing-outs. I really feel like we >> celebrate everybody. >> >> I just feel like by "shouting at" and placing anger at all >> of the whites a population that there are insinuations made >> about me because of my race as well. I understand that it >> is my responsibility, as a person whose race comprises most >> of the powerful positions, to be sure to tell these >> individual groups' stories. But I don't understand how I >> can be held accountable. It doesn't make sense to me. >> >> And I feel like I really work hard to fight for justice >> when I see injustice. I "call out" racism where and when I >> see it. (I'm not talking to half of my family due to this.) >> I spend hours and hours planning interesting, diverse >> lessons that incorporate media and literature from all >> perspectives. >> >> So when I heard over and over again today that white >> teachers do not do enough to connect with our minority >> students, I just wanted to cry. And when I raised my hand >> and asked for strategies, and I was spoken to in a >> condescending voice, it really upset me. >> >> Anyway, if you can help me understand this better, that >> would be great. And if you can give me specific strategies >> for what I can do in the classroom, I would be very >> appreciative.

Nov 10, 2012

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Well sorry, but it sounds like a really stupid conference If this was something you were required by your district to attend, I'd take it up with your union. Professional development isn't supposed to be about inflicting abusive EST-style therapy on the people who attend, nor pitting X group against Y group.

Did you ask to be born white? Of course not. Have you ever owned any slaves? Of course no...See MoreIf this was something you were required by your district to attend, I'd take it up with your union. Professional development isn't supposed to be about inflicting abusive EST-style therapy on the people who attend, nor pitting X group against Y group.

Did you ask to be born white? Of course not. Have you ever owned any slaves? Of course not. Did your ancestors own slaves? Maybe, maybe not, but who cares? Can we go back in time and control our ancestors' behavior, or the cultures in which they were raised? Hell no.

Besides, every one of us has a LOT more ancestors than we often consider. Each of us has, or had, two parents, right? Four grandparents, eight great-grandparents, and sixteen great-great-grandparents, right? Keep doubling that number, all the way back to before the civil war, and guess what? Can any of us, black, white, brown, or whatever, really say, with any certainty, what all 2048 of our great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great-grandparents may have been doing in the 19th century? How about all 5096 of THEIR parents, or all 10,192 of THEIR parents?

See where I'm going with this? Some of the people pointing fingers at you, about the "white guilt" you've supposedly inherited, may actually have just as much make-believe "guilt" in their family closets, or even more, than they're trying to dump in your lap.

So live YOUR life, in the time YOU have been allotted, in a way that allows you to look in the mirror without gagging. That's really all you can do. Don't let other people try to guilt trip you over what a bunch of dead people were doing however many years ago, and yes, don't go to any more stupid conferences.

On 11/09/12, Guilty white? wrote: > So... I went to a conference today that I thought was going > to be helpful in how to help my "indigenous" students > (Native American/Hmong). I thought I was going to be given > helpful tips for what specifically I can do to help these > students. > > But the entire day was about white privilege (which I > totally "get") and how my ancestors are responsible for the > hardships of today's minorities. > > Now, first of all, I am extremely ashamed and embarrassed > to say that my ancestors did absolutely horrid things to > anyone. No one should be treated the way "we" have treated > so many groups of people on so many occasions. I am as > opposite as proud of these things as one can get. > > And I do understand that as a white person, there are > countless privileges I have. Our school has done 2 > different inservices that shared lists of the privileges, > and I wholeheartedly agree that the privileges are there. > > Here is the thing that I struggle with, and I am just > wondering if you guys can help me to understand it better, > particularly if you are a person of color who lives in the > United States. > > I am really struggling with the anger that is placed at me > due to the fact that I am white. I understand the anger, > but I don't understand why it is at me, today. I don't > understand how I should be criticized for something that I > wasn't even alive for. To put things in perspective... I > was assaulted by a black man when I was 9 years old. I do > not hate all black men because of this situation, and I > have known and trusted black people since/despite this > experience. Should I make all black men, or all men even, > make amends for what this one person did? I realize that > this was only one situation with one person and that these > groups of people have been oppressed since the beginning of > immigration to this country. But it's the same mentality. I > did not oppress people. I accept and reach out to all > people. I want all people to succeed. > > I get that there are racist and very hateful white people > out there, but is it truly the norm? I get that there are a > small percentage of teachers out there who are still not > teaching the truths of history. But the majority of the > ones I know are very honest when dealing with historical > facts. My school's 8th graders write a persuasive essay on > whether or not Columbus Day should be celebrated, for > example. The history teachers go through the facts of how > Columbus treated Indigenous peoples and everything else > that he did/didn't do based on primary sources and other > studies. The majority of my colleagues make sure to go to > Hmong New Year and MLK sing-outs. I really feel like we > celebrate everybody. > > I just feel like by "shouting at" and placing anger at all > of the whites a population that there are insinuations made > about me because of my race as well. I understand that it > is my responsibility, as a person whose race comprises most > of the powerful positions, to be sure to tell these > individual groups' stories. But I don't understand how I > can be held accountable. It doesn't make sense to me. > > And I feel like I really work hard to fight for justice > when I see injustice. I "call out" racism where and when I > see it. (I'm not talking to half of my family due to this.) > I spend hours and hours planning interesting, diverse > lessons that incorporate media and literature from all > perspectives. > > So when I heard over and over again today that white > teachers do not do enough to connect with our minority > students, I just wanted to cry. And when I raised my hand > and asked for strategies, and I was spoken to in a > condescending voice, it really upset me. > > Anyway, if you can help me understand this better, that > would be great. And if you can give me specific strategies > for what I can do in the classroom, I would be very > appreciative.

Nov 10, 2012

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