Educators, Racism is a Tough but Essential Topic

Racism is no easy discussion topic, regardless of one’s age. In class settings, talking with students about racism can be difficult. Educators run the risk of raising perspectives that may conflict with viewpoints their students encounter at home. Students of color can feel singled out and made to represent their entire race or pressured to speak about historical atrocities that are far-removed from their own experiences. White students can resist open dialogue, fearing they may use the wrong words, be viewed as insensitive, or be called a racist.

However, times demand that educators engage students in discussions of tough topics about race, inequities, and systemic injustice. Not addressing these vital issues leaves young people on their own to make sense of a barrage of constant and unfiltered material they encounter via social media and the Internet. Most middle and high school students have unfettered digital media access, making them easy prey for peddlers of misinformation designed to sow division rather than reconciliation.

Journalistic strategies can provide secondary teachers with useful tools to support students in exploring challenging topics like racism. Teaching students to become media literate can help them make sense of all they hear and see about present-day events.

Webster’s defines news as “a report of recent events” and “previously unknown information.” However, this definition falls short of helping students understand how to assess the validity of information they may consider “news.”

In earlier eras, when people read newspapers, the news was what you found on the front page. Editorials and commentary had their own separate and properly marked pages within any given publication. In the present social media and cable news era, those delineations are not so obvious. Today’s Internet and social media allow anyone and everyone with access the ability to publish a “story,” — and not all publications are to be unequivocally trusted.

1. Opinion is not news

We need to help students understand that the people talking about race on television — like Rachel Maddow and Sean Hannity — are commentators, and much of what they disseminate, along with similar primetime programs, is not news, it is opinion. There is a place for opinion, but it is not what we think of as objective and accurate reporting. Teachers can show students examples of evening news and commentary show coverage of the same issue. Stop the playback at appropriate points and generate discussion about evident and subtle differences.

2. If it’s sensational, is it news?

We must also help students understand the economically driven market forces that give rise to “clickbait,” sensational headlines, and native advertising that can potentially support systemic racism. Even mainstream legitimate news organizations, such as CNN, often sell space at the bottom of their webpages. These “stories” may look like news, but they are carefully crafted advertisements. Sometimes, but not always, the heading “sponsored” or “paid content” is stated. We need to teach students to be skeptical of stories and images that seem outlandish or make extraordinary claims and then show them how to tell the difference between news and ads. Assign students to visit a variety of news organization’s websites. Invite them to present their findings in class.

3. Real news organizations are transparent and not alarmist.

Twitter, and more recently, Facebook, are cracking down on posts that promote hate speech and potentially incite violence. Skepticism is warranted when social posts or stories contain highly charged language or seem politically motivated. Also, what is the source’s track record? How long have they been in business? How are they funded? Do they have an agenda? If you have to dig too deep to find answers, ask why.

4. Identify and elevate underrepresented voices and perspectives.

Interrogate which perspectives are missing. Are public officials’ voices more prominent than grassroots community members’? How are varying perspectives characterized? Depending on the factual specifics of any event, are activists described as peaceful protestors or anarchists? Help students examine the history associated with the words they are hearing related to racism.

5. Explore alternative news sources

Support students in exploring how Black, indigenous, and people of color have formed their own successful news organizations throughout history, which enriched their communities and elevated their voices. The Black press has nearly a 200-year-old and often forgotten legacy in America. Ask your school library to include books that chronicle and acknowledge their contributions.

6. Weave historical context into the examination of media events.

Explaining historical context helps students make sense of inequities and contradictions such as how past presidents and Constitution and Bill of Rights authors could have justified owning slaves. A healthy and critical debate examines the fairness of judging historical figures by today’s standards. There are no easy answers. Encourage open dialogue and welcome diverse perspectives. Civil discussion allows room for people to agree to disagree.

We must also acknowledge that journalism, as a profession and practice, must be critically examined. The press bears significant blame for its role in perpetuating injustice. Racism is evident in the archives of trusted mainstream media organizations that systemically omitted marginalized people’s voices.

The New York Times launched the 1619 Project; an extensive multimedia endeavor to “place the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans at the very center of our national narrative.” Overlooked was also launched as a series of obituaries about remarkable people whose deaths began in 1851 and went unreported in the Times.

Talking about racism and social injustice can be awkward, and acknowledging that fact upfront can ease apprehension. When teachers share their own discomfort with certain subject matter, it models the value of openness, trust, and healthy introspection. Students discover the importance of respectful exploration of differing perspectives.

Ed Madison, Ph.D. is an associate professor at the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication, and serves as executive director of the Journalistic Learning Initiative (JLI), an educational nonprofit that helps students discover their voice, improve academic outcomes, and engage in self-directed learning through project-based storytelling. He is the author of Newsworthy: Cultivating Critical Thinkers, Reader, and Writers in Language Arts Classrooms. Columbia University-Teachers College Press-2015). Contact: info@journalisticlearning.com.