Promoting Racial Literacy in Schools

Book excerpt: Based on extensive research, this provocative volume explores how schools are places where racial conflicts often remain hidden at the expense of a healthy school climate and the well-being of other students of colour. Most schools fail to act on racial microaggressions because the stress of negotiating such conflicts is extremely high due to fears of incompetence, public exposure, and accusation. Instead of facing these conflicts head on, schools perpetuate a set of avoidance or coping strategies. The author of this much-needed book uncovers how racial stress undermines student achievement. Students, educators, and social service support staff will find workable strategies to improve their racial literacy skills to read, recast, and resolve racially stressful encounters when they happen. This book features: a model that applies culturally relevant behavioural stress management strategies to problem-solve racial stress in schools; examples demonstrating workable solutions relevant within predominantly White schools for students, parents, teachers, and adminsitrators; measurable outcomes and strategies for developing racial literacy skills that can be integrated into the K - 12 curriculum and teacher professional development; and teaching and leadership skills that will create a more tolerant and supportive school environment for all students.