FR
What If We Talked About Racism?
The present COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and amplified forms of oppression and disparities experienced by the most vulnerable groups, fueling stigmatization and social exclusion of minorities (Cleveland et al., 2020; Miconi et al., 2020). The increase in anti-Asian hate incidents throughout the world and the push for social justice, as advocated for instance by the Black Lives Matter movement, are just some examples of emerging social phenomena affecting youth, their families, and their schools (Minke, 2020; Tynes et al., 2020). This social climate represents a challenge for educators who need to help their students understand and react to current events while preserving emotional and relational safety within their schools and promoting values of equity and solidarity. This social climate is affecting the youth, their families, and their schools.
The 7-minute video and accompanying pedagogical guide have been developed to help teachers introduce the issue of racism in the classroom and to facilitate discussions around students’ emotional responses, experiences, and opinions related to the topic. The video does not aim to present any given “truth” or point out the “rights” and “wrongs” of any argument or perspective. It is intended as a tool to shed light on the complexities of the phenomenon and to voice the thoughts of a few young Montrealers regarding ways to make sense of, and react to, what is happening in our world.