Red Light! Green Light! Educator Dialogue in an Antiracist Book Study

• In Event: Antiracist, Equity-Based, and Social Justice Teacher Development

Abstract

Amidst the dual pandemics of COVID-19 and racism, educators nationwide initiated antiracist book studies. Whether book studies are a suitable means for educator antiracist learning remains under-researched. Framed by Helm’s (1990) model of white racial identity and Gorski’s (2019) concept of racial equity detours, this pilot study examines the dialogic patterns in one rapidly diversifying district’s antiracist book study. Analyzing ethnographic observations, we found group dialogue presented both opportunities for progress (“green lights”), but also blocks (“red lights”), where explicit discussion of race was socially discouraged. Our findings underscore the importance of interrogating how white dialogical spaces may inhibit, rather than catalyze, antiracist learning. Understanding this challenge is a critical first step towards successful antiracist learning.

Authors

• Ashley J. Carey, University of Massachusetts - Lowell

• Hilary Lustick, University of Massachusetts - Lowell

• Peter Piazza, Pennsylvania State University

• James Noonan, Salem State University