Whether you want to admit it or not, racism is a problem in schools across the country. Student reporters from https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaf3EeN38WjnXMI4-7ZJ_6w at Oakridge High School in Conroe, Texas pitched us the idea to make a video exploring racism in schools. So we worked with them to produce this episode where we ask, "How can we make schools less racist?” We talked to some high school students at Lowell High School in San Francisco, California who are on the ground working to disrupt racism in their school. Hit the SUBSCRIBE button! And follow us on Instagram and Twitter! https://www.instagram.com/abovethenoi...​ https://twitter.com/ATN_PBS​ *Is racism a problem in schools?* There’s a lot of different ways racism manifests itself in schools. You’ve got individual racist acts, like racial bullying, microaggressions, and biased thoughts. Then there’s institutional racism in which policies and rules discriminate against students of color. And a rule or policy doesn’t need to be explicitly racist to be racist. It’s racist if it ends up impacting students of color more than white students. Examples can include dress codes that ban things like durags, dreadlocks, braids, or discretionary discipline policies. Students of color end up getting punished more for the same types of offenses as white students. Then there’s also systemic racism, where racism is deeply rooted in the structures of society. If racism wasn’t a problem in schools, then students of color and white students would have the same probability of attending a highly resourced school, graduating, getting suspended, or being expelled. But the reality is that students of color, particularly Black and Brown students are less likely to attend highly resourced schools and are more likely to get expelled or suspended. And that’s a consequence of how society is rigged against those students, not something innately inherent about that student’s race leading to these outcomes. *What are anti-racist school policies?* Schools can adopt anti-racism or equity policy as one way to help dismantle racism in schools, and create a school culture that actively fights against racism rather than passively maintaining it. These policies are designed specifically to confront racism head-on and help level the playing field so that all students have an equal chance to succeed in school. SOURCES What the Research Says about Ethnic Studies (National Education Association): https://www.nea.org/sites/default/files/2020-10/What%20the%20Research%20Says%20About%20Ethnic%20Studies.pdf Locked out of the Classroom: How Implicit Bias Contributes to Disparities in School Discipline (NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc.) https://www.naacpldf.org/files/about-us/Bias_Reportv2017_30_11_FINAL.pdf History of Institutional Racism in U.S. Public Schools (The Edvocate) https://www.theedadvocate.org/history-of-institutional-racism-in-u-s-public-schools/ Reducing Racism in Schools (UConn Center for Education and Policy Analysis) https://education.uconn.edu/2020/09/22/reducing-racism-in-schools-the-promise-of-anti-racist-policies/ Dismantling Systemic Racism in Schools 8 Big Ideas (Edweek) https://www.edweek.org/leadership/dismantling-systemic-racism-in-schools-8-big-ideas/2020/09 7 Steps Toward Building an Equitable School Culture (Edutopia) https://www.edutopia.org/article/7-steps-toward-building-equitable-school-culture TEACHERS: Get your students in the discussion on KQED Learn, a safe place for middle and high school students to investigate controversial topics and share their voices. https://learn.kqed.org/discussions/ About KQED KQED serves the people of Northern California with a public-supported alternative to commercial media. An NPR and PBS member station based in San Francisco, KQED is home to one of the most listened-to public radio stations in the nation, one of the highest-rated public television services, and an award-winning education program helping students and educators thrive in 21st-century classrooms. A trusted news source, leader, and innovator in interactive technology, KQED takes people of all ages on journeys of exploration — exposing them to new people, places, and ideas. Funding for KQED’s education services is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Koret Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the AT&T Foundation, the Crescent Porter Hale Foundation, the Silver Giving Foundation, Campaign 21 donors, and members of KQED. #antiracism #studentvoice