1) Racism still exists today.
2) Children are aware of race and form racial beliefs.
3) Children are mirrors – they integrate ideas about race and reflect it in their own attitudes and behaviors.
4) Racial silence will never create racial equality, but talking about race can!
5) Racism is like a conveyor belt and we are all on it. The question is: What are we doing about it?
We have covered a lot of ground. Here are five important points we hope you’ll take away from both this Module, and Module 13, ‘Race Today: What Kids Know as They Grow’.
- Race is meaningful in our society and racism still exists today.
- Children, from very early on, are aware of race and form racial beliefs.
- Children are mirrors. They observe and integrate ideas about race from those around them and reflect it in their own attitudes and behaviors.
- Racial silence will never create racial equality, but talking about race can!
- Racism is like a conveyor belt and we are all on it. It is our responsibility to work actively to recognize and work against racism in our society. Otherwise we will continue to live as a member of a racist society.
Talking about race, with children and with others, is a practical way to move toward equality. It helps children develop an identity that is not limited by negative racial stereotypes.