Making the Case for Race in Middle School

Race matters in the lives of youth. A new set of politicized, strategic, and public assaults on the teaching of race or other “divisive” concepts in school have had a chilling effect in classrooms across the nation. This poses a threat to students’ right to learn in educational spaces that are accountable for supporting all young people with equity and affirmation. Drawing upon the voices of adolescents in four middle schools, Making the Case for Race in Middle School: Supporting Adolescents and Teachers in Critical Racial Consciousness and Advocacy advances the argument that providing youth with the space and opportunity to think critically about the pervasive dynamics of race in society, and in their own lives, is not partisan, but an essential element of being a teacher in a multiracial democracy. The academic literature on critical multiculturalism, ethnic-racial identity, and anti-racist pedagogy is brought together to provide theoretical and practical direction for educators, with a particular focus on reflective praxis among White classroom teachers. This book is a celebration of the agency of teachers who are committed to supporting students in their racial consciousness and potential for social justice advocacy during early adolescence, when they are unabashedly open, curious, and hopeful in their desire for a better, more inclusive world.