Children from other marginalized racial and ethnic groups also experience educational programs in different ways than their White peers. While this may seem innocent, it can lead to harmful outcomes because language has power, especially when that language becomes a part of our daily culture and is used without question or examination and reflection.Ī careful look at the outcomes for many Black children and youth can confirm that there are differences in the way they experience educational programs as opposed to the way programs operate for White children and youth. The difference between the definitions of the words “black” and “white” are stark. Now, let us contrast the definition of the word “black” to the definition of the word “white.” According to Merriam-Webster online, “white” can mean “free from spot or blemish, free from moral impurity, innocent or not intended to cause harm.” In daily conversations you may hear phrases like “white as snow” or a “white lie” indicating that a lie is not to be taken seriously because it is harmless. Maybe you have heard someone referred to as “the black sheep in the family” or heard the phrase “black cloud” to describe a person’s bad mood. What is the first thing that you think of? Did you notice a difference in your answers? If so, what would you attribute that difference to? If not, think about why?Īccording to Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, some definitions of black include “thoroughly sinister or evil, wicked, indicative of condemnation or discredit, heavy, serious, very sad, gloomy, or marked by the occurrence of disaster.” Now consider how many times you have heard the word black used in association with something negative in daily conversations. What is the first thing that you think of when you hear the word black? Did you think about the color or did you think about a word associated with black? Now, think about the word white.
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