For the last two weeks, I didn’t have the words to offer a critical analysis of what I saw transpiring through social media. I have them now.
When the board voted 5-2 to reopen schools, many educators & community members across racial lines were caught off guard, frustrated, and angered by the decision. I understood those emotions, as we all thought we would remain in virtual learning until the end of the year. Then SB37 happened, and the district, along with a majority of the board members, decided to pivot.
What I witnessed in the aftermath of the vote, however, was white women educators fuming and unraveling through social media. The words “betrayal” and loss of “trust” were thrown around freely. People demanded the names of the board members, and many were ready to “vote them out.” White teachers even lamented that the board members wanted them to die. Maybe in a race-neutral society, this would seem like righteous indignation, but we don’t live in a race-neutral society. This is America. Race is ever present.
Anytime our board votes along racial lines, this should give all of us pause to reflect, zoom out, and see the bigger picture. But what I saw was white women becoming damsels in distress at the hands of four Black and one Brown board member. White women educators in Durham Public Schools, I need for you to realize that your white tears get people who look like me and our board members killed--daily. Zoom out y'all. You never get to exist as just a concerned educator. You carry all of your identities with you every time you take up space. And the power white women historically yield in public spaces is connected to white supremacy.
Many of you post about the labor of talking to your family members and friends about their racism. Are they in the audience reading your SOS posts about being forced to return to school? Do they know about the POC leadership making the call for this return? You all have inherited a legacy of white racial violence, and our public conscience is set up to come to your defense. You need to realize the power of your public outrage, whether or not it’s justified, whether or not it's rooted in reality.
I can only imagine what type of emails our board members & district leaders have received. No, you are not solely responsible for those, but you are culpable for your part. Your public outrage at our 5 POC board members is dangerous, and it needs to be checked before someone is hurt. It only takes one extremist reading your posts to feel justified in restoring your honor and safety through some targeted act of violence against our board members. You need to understand the larger consequences of your very public reactions.
Last week, as I was watching “groupthink” and “mob mentality” on public display, my gut reaction was, “I’m not sending my kids back to that white rage,” and my children don’t even have white classroom teachers. Regardless, my protective instinct arose. That’s how triggering your responses were for me.
So again, white women educators in DPS, I’m not arguing that you didn’t have a right to be upset. I’m arguing that you need to own how your white skin and white tears have a history of threatening the safety of Black and Brown people. How can you express your discontent in a way that doesn’t contribute to historical harm for our board members? You never get to show up as just a concerned educator. You carry all of your identities with you every time you take up space. Consider this the next time you disagree with a decision our board members have made.
With disruptive peace,
Ronda
Ronda Taylor Bullock, PhD
#motherscholar #antiracisteducator
#criticalracetheory #whitecriticalstudies
"The only way to know, is to walk, then learn, then grow." ~ Lauryn Hill
"Not only will I stare. I want my look to change reality." ~ bell hooks on the oppositional gaze
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