New York City’s Schools Chancellor Carmen
Fariña, the leader of the largest public school system in United States with
1.1 million students, is not prepared to talk about race relations, even though
nearly 85 percent of New York City’s public student population is of color.
Public schools seem like an ideal place
to discuss race relations, particularly with children of color who may be
traumatized by the recent killings of Black men across this country.
Although teachers are likely candidates
to facilitate these discussions, many have expressed that they are unprepared
and in many cases reluctant to delve into race issues for fear of saying the
wrong thing and possibly losing their jobs.
Their fear may be justified, given the
backlash that Farina faced when she attempted to publicly address how parents
and educators should talk about race with their children.
When Farina recently penned a letter to New
York City educators and parents stating that they have a “moral obligation” to
discuss race with their children, she was inundated with hate mail. She
admitted to being surprised by the public’s response to her letter.
Her surprise is a clear indicator that
she, like many others, is not prepared to talk about race. More importantly, Fariña
and others should realize that, when it comes to race, it is more about what
you do than what you say. The New York City public school system is no beacon
for integration and inclusion.
New York City’s public schools are among
the most segregated in the nation. The New York City Department of Education has
not embraced curricula that would expose all children and staff to the African American
experience in America and in the African diaspora. Black men are not represented
significantly in New York City public schools or in senior leadership.
What has Fariña done in her tenure as
chancellor to demonstrate that race matters beyond conversations? She does not
have much to show. Talking about race is irrelevant if an administrator has not
established policies and practices to address the inherent racism that is
embedded in schools’ enrollment policies, curricula, and hiring practices.
So Fariña should not be surprised by the
public’s response to her seemingly contradictory “moral obligation” charge. Her
failure to demonstrate the significance of race relations through proactive
policies and practices is likely the source of the hate mail. Farina lives in a
glass schoolhouse and should not throw stones.
I would implore Fariña to act on race and
not charge others to talk about it. She has a moral obligation to practice what
she preaches. Here are four specific recommendations for Chancellor Fariña:
1. Eliminate or significantly revise school
zoning policies to erase the invisible color lines that serve to block school integration
and sustain school segregation.
2. Embrace inclusive and culturally
relevant curricula; start by adopting recommendations from the Amistad Commission.
Then train teachers and school leaders to infuse culturally relevant and
historically accurate information into day-to-day instruction and
school-related experiences.
3. Demonstrate an acceptance of and
appreciation for the value of Black men. Their invisibility in the New York
City Department of Education is directly related to choices that Fariña and
others have made.
4. Adopt an evidence-based approach to
recruiting educators of color. The NYCDOE’s latest effort to recruit men of
color is fundamentally flawed. As with other initiatives, NYCDOE does not
appear to have a strategic, plausible plan.
After nearly fifty years in urban
education as a student, teacher, assistant principal, principal, and
superintendent, I am convinced that Fariña, teachers, and principals are not
prepared to talk about race relations. This is unfortunate given our current
state of emergency as perceived by many in the Black community.
Action, not rhetoric, is what is required
to address the race problem in the United States. Schools, families, and communities
all have a stake in the reality of the race problem.
Fariña has the opportunity to practice
what she preaches, model for other school systems. I hope Fariña and others
receive my message and take action.
