Their position requires them to be angry over something and they are slowly entrenching themselves in every institution making it very difficult to just ignore. That is my problem with them. When I was a technician for the sewer department and we’d find lines that were choked up with roots we’d say “job security” jokingly implying that as long as there are problems with the sewer we still have jobs. What is the incentive structure for a DEI administrator to actually fix anything? What are their deliverables? How do they define success? Does increased tension prove that they are failing or succeeding? There is no measure… but if you’re the guy that goes against the grain at the “white fragility” talk then don’t expect to be a supervisor anytime soon…
Here’s a great example from my personal life. I volunteer tutor in math and physics at a local school. I’ve done it since college. I don’t care who comes for help I just tutor whoever wants it. For whatever reason that ends up being more Asian kids than anything with a good bit of white kids and few black or Hispanic kids. The school is like 50/30/10/10 W/B/A/H.
The Asian kids do best in school because that’s pretty much how it is everywhere.
So a new administrator suggests I do outreach to the black and Hispanic community at the school because not many are showing up. I respond that I’m just a volunteer and I help people who want help regardless of group identity because group identity has nothing to do with math or physics. They respond that I am disproportionally helping the asian and white kids who are already doing better in school, likely worsening the outcomes disparities in math and physics classes by race.
In other words… by the Kendi definition I am technically a racist tutor. By the equality definition I am a good guy that volunteers to help anyone that wants it and not many black kids happen to show up.
Well, I don't know who you run into, but according to the Kendi I just read on this, his point is not that one needs to expand the definition of who is a racist and who is not a racist, the point is that racism is such a structural problem that one of the reasons that more progress is not being made is that if you just say, "I'm not a racist" its not good enough - its not that you are a racist.
I'm a lawyer, so I am used to reading thick complicated stuff like he writes, but I assure you anyone who is labeling people racists based on a Kendi analysis has it wrong. Of course, that won't stop people from using it.
So of course you are a good guy by any definition. You're not an administrator, so who shows up for your sessions is not your problem, who knows there may have been times where like one kid shows up.
The administrator has a different problem, far different. I am sure that whoever the administrator reports to is grinding them all the time as to why minority kids aren't doing as well in math and physics. If the administrator knew exactly why, and could fix it, the administrator would have the billion dollar idea.
But the administrator knows that tutoring kids who are already good students and motivated does nothing to help already disadvantaged students.
I mean, you have to agree with Kendi, the tutoring program, like just offering more AP classes, are not addressing racial education disparities. You could argue that they help perpetuate disparities but that's hardly your lane.
I am sure the administrator did not suggest cancelling your tutoring unless more minority kids showed up, but really this is the issue (the administrator's not yours).
And this is the issue Kendi identifies -- at this school, a bunch of adults are taking actions every day, and Kendi argues that when it comes to racism there are no neutral actions, an action either addresses racism or it perpetuates racism.
Academics basically try to take things that are obvious and make it sound like they just discovered it. Most of us, of all races, don't lift a finger at all on a daily basis to do anything about racism. Just like we don't lift a finger when there is a flood in Bangladesh that kills tens of thousands, or the earthquake in Turkey. Most people don't do anyting for anyone who is not a member of their family.
Under this rubric you are one of the, probably top ten percent or top five percent of all humans just by your volunteer tutoring. Not only that, but I would rank you above all the people who do outreach in their Church group or whatever becuase part of that motivation is the positive vibes you get from your volunteer pals. You are doing it solo. Well played.
So next time someone tries to tell you that a particular action is not antiracist, point out to them the Kendi, if he were there, would note that reading is book is not antiracist. Let them think that one over.
